Familiar Faces
by TivaRulesInGreece
Summary: It had been two years after Ziva had left her surrogate family in D.C. But most of all it had been two years since she had left the love of her life, Tony. Will being forced together everyday bring them back together? AU TIVA but I'm proud of it...
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone, this story is written by two people who just really love TIVA, and when I say two people I mean one wrote most of it, and the other just made minor changes and edited it. We are going to try and update this story every week if possible, but don't hold it against us if it doesn't work out that way. This fandom had brought us together, so that we are able to write stories like these. You know the ones where GG didn't screw everything up. So without further rambling from us, here is Familiar Faces. **

**Please Review, and what not. We would greatly appreciate it! :) **

**-A&amp;J **

* * *

It has been two years since she left, two years since she had seen her surrogate family. That was the last time she had seen Tony. She will never forget that October night, standing on that tarmac in Tel Aviv, watching that pair of sad eyes. She will never forget how he had been continuously pleading her to come home with him till the very last minute. She can still hear his voice echoing in her head, "I'm fighting for you, Ziva." That alone gives her hope that he has not moved on, and that he is still fighting for them. But of everything that happened those couple of days in Israel, she will never forget the 'goodbye' kiss that they shared that night. No it was not a 'goodbye' kiss, as in this is the last time, but as in a 'goodbye' kiss, as this is not only for now, for we will see each other again.

She swears that sometimes she can still faintly feel his lips on hers, even the taste of him after their kiss. That kiss had meant so much to her, especially when she woke up to an empty bed. She would just remember that even though she was alone at that moment, she still had that kiss to show her that in a way she was not alone. That kiss had been her comfort since that night on the tarmac in Israel. It is also the reason that she was now standing on the Dulles Tarmac in D.C. after being absent for two years, coming to face her biggest challenge in her life, to vindicate the life she always wanted, and to vindicate Tony.

The first day that she actually spent in D.C. wasn't any different than she would've two years ago.

She woke up at 4 to do her usual morning run. She decided to let her legs lead the way, she should have known that they would have led her to a familiar place from her past. A smile crept on her face as she realized where she ended up; her old apartment. Ha, 'there's no such things as coincidence' Ziva thought. She made her way to a bench across and stared at her old apartment, memories flooding her mind, like how she moved there after she returned from Somalia, to the night that she invited the whole team over for dinner. From Ducky's endless stories, Abby's rib crushing hugs, and Tony's consistent movie references. Tony… Oh Tony, she thought as her smile faded.

He was the only constant thing in her life since she first had came to America. 'Having phone sex?' Her smile started to reappear on her face as she remembered their first meeting. Tony was the one on the team that she had the most memories with, such as their undercover mission, the summer Gibbs retired, when he rescued her in Somalia, Paris, Berlin, and the most recent memory was Israel, the kiss that the shared at the airport right before she sent him home without her. Ziva shook her head, 'stop it,' she told herself, 'it has been two years, he has moved on'.

She got up from the bench, her mind racing, and ran back to her new apartment so she could change.

The sound of the sander stroking the wood filled the half dark basement of the MCRT leader. The team just wrapped up the murders of two petty officers, which took them almost two weeks to close the case that had included drugs and human trafficking. Finding the relaxation in emerging himself in his woodwork, he heard someone coming down the stairs, someone he hadn't heard in a long time. 'It can't be," he thought to himself.

Although he made everyone think that he didn't care about Ziva's absence, but in reality it hurt like hell. He felt as much pain, maybe more for the absent of Ziva, than he did for Kate. It was more of the pain he had when he lost Shannon and Kelly.

"Gibbs," the familiar footsteps dragged him out of his thoughts, looking up towards the direction of the voice. He was proven right, that it was indeed the one person he thought it would never be.

"Ziver?" Was the only thing he managed to say. When he was sure that she was really there, he got up making his way to her. She didn't move, she just stood there, waiting for him to make some indication that he was okay with her being there. When he opened his arms to hug her, she surprised him when she threw herself into him.

"I am back, Gibbs. Back for good," she said crying into his shoulder.

"Welcome home, kid," Gibbs kissed her forehead, without ever leaving her hug, "welcome home," he said smiling.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, sorry for such a delay on this story. I started college so I have been really busy with that, so I couldn't keep up with Athena. But I hope to from now on. We have hopefully figured something out that will make it easier for us to post the chapters! **

**Thank you all for the favorites/follows/reviews we really appreciate it. **

**-A&amp;J **

* * *

After Ziva and Gibbs emotions were in check, mostly Ziva. Gibbs pulled out a stool for Ziva and for himself.

"So," Gibbs said breaking the silence first as he was filled two jars of bourbon. "Where have you been all this time? We hadn't heard anything for you...not phone call, not even email," he continued, passing a jar of bourbon to Ziva.

"Thank you," she offered him a soft smile as she sat. "Well I stayed in Israel for a while. Then I started to travel. I went to see Monique in Colombia. She needed help with the kids down there so I thought that I were I was needed. After that I went back to Israel because Aunt Nettie got sick, but she is better now. And now the bombs are happening and I came home," she shrugged.

"It has been horrible without you, kid. And the bombing made it even worst, because we didn't know if you were okay," Gibbs said

She nodded. "Yes it has been. I volunteered in the Israeli Army…" Gibbs raised his eyebrow with interest. Which made Ziva chuckle a little, "no, Gibbs, I was not a solider. We transported food to the soldiers, tried to take care of their injuries, but nothing more. I haven't had gun in my hand for two years. Since the Parsa case to be exact," She stood up and started walking around the basement. "I started traveling again, but not to help people or anything. I went back to the places where I went the summer I stayed in Israel."

"And what made you come home, Ziver?" Gibbs asked.

"You... All of you... My family... Maybe my biological family is dead but I still have you... You said to me that night I called you and told you that I decided to stay in Israel, that as much as it hurts, you respected my decision and that your door is always open, right?" she asked. "Now, before you ask, Gibbs," she sighed "I am going to be honest with you. I am not 100 percent healed. I still have to deal with some situations."

"Ziva, you know that the door is always open. Not just with me but with all of us," he said as he reached across the sanding table to pat her arm.

Ziva smiled with appreciation, "so, enough talking about me. How is everyone? How is the team and your father?" She asked.

"The team is fine. My father, he is uh…" His voice cracked and his smile faded, "my father died a year after you left."

"Oh, Gibbs, I am sorry. I did not know, if had I would have..." Gibbs cut her off.

"Hey it's okay. I know you needed to this for you," he said calmly.

After a couple of moments of silence, Gibbs was the first one to break it. With the answer to Ziva's question she did not dare to ask because she did not know how. But of course Gibbs knew what his former agent was thinking and answered the unspoken question.

"He's fine you know," Gibbs said with a slight smirk.

"Who?" Ziva asks with confusion

"You know, Ziver. Dinozzo," he said without even thinking what her reaction might be.

Ziva got upset with just the mention of his name.

"The first time," Gibbs looked at her and continued, "was pretty hard for him to cope with your absence, but after a little time the pain started to ease a bit, but it was still obvious," Gibbs stopped, thinking that maybe she would say something but she didn't say a word. "The past year he tried to move on," that caught Ziva's attention. She was right. She was too late, but did she expect for him to wait forever for her to find herself? Of course, she want him to wait, because of the way they left things that night in Tel Aviv, where he tried to convince her to come back with him until the very last second, and her she still refused him. But she guessed if she thought about it, her refusing him, even after the kiss that meant so much to her, he thought that it was the beginning and the end of them, so he really thought he needed to move on.

"However, no matter how hard he has tried to get over you, he can't and won't," Ziva was ready to argue that fact, but Gibbs stopped her, "Ziva, listen, I don't want to know what happened between you and Tony in Israel, but whatever it was, it was strong enough for Tony to actually try a relationship, which lasted only two months."

'Of course, typical Tony,' Ziva thought.

Gibbs sensed that she was starting to get uncomfortable, so he change the subject.

"So you're living in hotel, right?"

"Well, I am renting an apartment, but I was informed by my lawyer that before Eli died, he bought me a house in Georgetown, hoping one day I would get marry and settled down. It is pretty ironic, yes?" Ziva said with a sarcastic smile.

"It's never too late, Ziva. What are you going to do about a job?" Gibbs asked.

"I do not know," she shrugged

"Ziver, if you want to come I'm sure Le…" She cut him off before he was even able to finish Vance's name.

"No, no that would be like I am returning to my old life," she shook her head.

"Ziva, please listen to me. Being an NCIS agent has nothing to do with your past at Mossad," he tried to counter.

"Yes I know but…" he cut her off before she could say no.

"Please, just try it out and if it doesn't work, you can leave. And just know that there is always place for you to our team," he said with a soft smile.

Ziva kissed Gibbs' cheek, "thank you, Gibbs for everything."

"Anytime, Kid. Now go get some sleep, Ziver. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow at 10:00 am precisely in the bull-pen," he nodded towards the stairs.

"Goodnight, Gibbs," Ziva said as she headed up the stairs, "and thank you again."

After he was sure that Ziva was gone he sighed contently, with a smile on his face. His 'family' was finally whole again and he couldn't be happier.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the delay, college sucks. Hope you like this chapter, we are starting to get somewhere! :)**

**-A&amp;J**

* * *

"Ding," the familiar sound of someone arriving on the elevator on the MCRT floor. Anthony DiNozzo Jr. stepped out, groaned of frustration for having to be a work. For the last two years it was unusual for him to be late for work. Sometimes he was even in the office in before McGee. He was nominated for the NCIS agent of the year but he didn't care. He really didn't care when he lost to Gibbs. Besides he could be nominated for every award possible but he would trade every single one of them if it meant that he would get his ninja back.

Tony approached the bullpen slowly and carefully, trying to avoid his boss, because he knew he was going to have consequences.

"You're late, DiNozzo," McGee shouted.

"Good morning to you too, McGee," Tony said sarcastically. Glancing around the bullpen seeing that no one was around, he asked, "where is everyone?"

"Well Boss has been locked in the director's offices since 7:30 and Bishop is nowhere to be found." McGee looked at the time, "she has been missing for about 15 minutes now."

"Well maybe she decided to empty the vending machine completely of Doritos… Hey did you notice that ever since Bishop came to NCIS the lack of junk food in the vending machine?" Tony asked a little more happy than intended.

"Wow, Tony, you seem happy today. I suppose your date last night went well," McGee stated.

"What date?" Tony asked confused.

"The date that you kept mumbling about? Gibbs almost slapped you for it, and he hasn't slapped you since…" McGee bit his tongue before the forbidden name slipped. Tony knew what he was going to say, why he would just say it, he doesn't know, so he just put his poker face on and acted as if he didn't hear McGee's comment.

"Oh Rachel. Yeah, it was a good date, and what happened after was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G," he made sure that he emphasized every letter of the word.

"I thought you said her name was Erin?" McGee asked raising an eyebrow.

"Erin, Rachel, doesn't matter, Probie, the only thing that does, was that she was HOT," Tony exclaimed.

Over the past year Tony started to brag about his one night stands that were all but a big lie. A creation of his imagination. Of course he was dating but nothing more, just a drink, or dinner. He did try to move on with a girl named Amanda. She looked an awful lot like Ziva, same hair, same skin color, but she wasn't Ziva.

Tony sat in silence at his desk and put his head in hands, "I am so pathetic" he thought, "man up, DiNozzo, she's not coming back. She probably has already settled down with someone else. Just move on, already," he tried to tell himself. "Even if she has forgot you, you will never forget her." Tony sighed as he thought of all of those things, and of how he almost wrecked every lie he had told since she had left, because if anyone had found out about his supposed "one night stands" they would laugh at him. But little did he know McGee already knew that he was lying about his dates.

A few weeks ago, Tony told McGee that he had a date with a hot blonde named Sophia. McGee also went out that night but he didn't except to see Tony there at the bar alone with a glass of scotch, instead of a hot blonde. McGee watched him without being spotted. The last time he had ever saw Tony this sad was when the summer Ziva was declared dead on the Damocles. That moment when he saw Tony sitting there all alone, drinking by himself, Bishops words from a few weeks ago popped into his head.

_**Flashback  
**_"_He's lying!" Bishop blurted out as she sat in the passenger seat._

_"You think the husband is lying?" McGee questioned her._

_"No, McGee, I'm not talking about the husband or the case. I'm talking about Tony," Ellie explained._

_"How did Tony came up so suddenly? And what is he lying about?"_

_"Something is bugging me, McGee. I mean do you really believe that he can do all of these one night stands? I mean he's bragging all the time for his conquest, I don't believe him. Especially after everything you guys have told me about him and Ziva, is it?" Bishop explained._

_"You didn't know him 9 year ago, Ellie. Then you would have understand that he would actually do something like this," he countered._

_"Still," Bishop continued, leaning against the window. "I doubt if he has even kissed one of those women that he claims to have slept with," McGee turned to looked at her. "Ok, so maybe his kissed one or two of them, but nothing more because according to Abby after coming back from Israel…"_

_"After coming back from Israel?" McGee cut her off, "he had a real hard time and after one year he tried to move on and the next thing he knows, is that this girl he was dating for two months she wanted to get married." _

_"She didn't ask to get married. She asked for their relationship to move on to the next level," Ellie stated._

_"Which is marriage," McGee clarified._

_"Maybe the next level was..." She trailed off. _

_"Was what?"McGee pressed._

_"Sex," Ellie stated._

_McGee started laughing. "So you're telling that Tony, the man that can't be in a room with a woman without the thought of sex, dated a girl for two months and didn't have sex with her? Ha. You're crazy."_

_"Well, she was Ziva's bad substitute," she countered. _

_"Amanda was not Ziva's substitute and she definitely wasn't bad," McGee argued_

_"Oh come on McGee, are you blind? Same features, same character," Ellie said. _

_"Come on, we only met Amanda once, and besides you never met Ziva, so you can't even compare," McGee looked at her. _

_"I may have never met Ziva, but Abby was one of her best friends and from what she has told me, that is my conclusion. Amanda was a bad substitute for Ziva. And when I meet her I am positive that I will right," Ellie huffed. _

"_So are you saying that, you think Ziva will back?" McGee questioned._

_"I bet fifty bucks on it. She will be back in D.C. by the end of the year," Ellie stated with a smirk._

_"I sure hope you're right."  
__**End of flashback **_

So the next day he very discreetly asked Tony about his date with "Sophia" and he calm that she was one of the hottest women he has ever met. And that is when everything clicked, for McGee; Ellie was right.

"Hey McDaydream, time to wake up," Tony said as he waved his hands in front McGee's face.

"Hey sorry. I was just thinking."

"You okay?"

"Yes, Tony everything is fine," McGee said. Tony was about to say something when the elevator dinged revealing a very quirky Bishop holding a Doritos bag.

"Where have you been, Bishop?" Tony asked.

"Gibbs told me to inform Abby to come up to the bull-pen at 10 o'clock with Ducky and Palmer, because he has an announcement to make."

"And do you know what it is about?" Tony pressed.

"Nope, not at all."

"Why did you go downstairs? You could have just called her," McGee stated.

Bishop extended the bag of Doritos, "Does this answer your question?" She smirked.

Soon Abby, Ducky and Palmer joined the group in the bullpen, anxiously waiting and wondering what Gibbs was going to announce. Gibbs and Vance made their way down the stairs and joined the rest of them.

"So I am sure you are wonder why I have asked you all here." He paused. "We are adding a new team member to our team."

"Look, Bishop you won't be Probie anymore, someone else will. Man, I can't wait to prank him," Tony exclaimed earning a death glare from Gibbs. "Shutting up, Boss."

"First of all, the new team member isn't a Probie, they have worked with us before," Gibbs clarified.

"So who is this person that will be joining the team that we have already worked with?" Ducky asked Gibbs.

The elevator dinged and the team looked to see who had arrived. Their jaws dropped. "Right on time," Gibbs said with a smirk.

"Hello everyone."


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for such a delay, the last couple of weeks have been really busy. Also we are sorry for any mistakes, if there are any we are terribly sorry!

-A&amp;J

* * *

Everyone had their own thoughts and reactions. Shock, confusion and happiness flashed over all of their faces, will most of them were happy.

"Bishop, I don't think that we need to tell you who this is," Gibbs stated, with a smirk.

"Yeah, I know who this is. Hi, I'm probationary age…"

"Ah, Ziva you came back!" Abby squealed, giving Ziva a signature Abby hug. "Please tell me you're back for good," Abby pushed her far enough away so that she could see her face.

"Yes, Abby, I came back to D.C... for good. I am not going anywhere. I miss you so much..." she trailed off "all of you..." she glanced at Tony as she said it. He looked younger, thinner, well-built like he spent a lot of his time to gym.

"Well Ziva, in that case, welcome back. We've missed you a lot," McGee said.

"Thank you, McGee. Me too," she turned to Tony again, "I just want you to know that I had to do this. For me."

"Well my dear, your two year absence did you well. You look wonderful," Ducky pointed out.

"Thank you, Ducky. You are always too kind," Ziva smiled.

"I'm very happy you're back, my dear."

"Me too, Ducky, me too."

During everyone's hellos, and hugs, Tony stayed as far as he could away from Ziva. He didn't show any emotion or say a word to anyone. After Ziva and Bishop finally had a proper introduction, and she was welcomed by Palmer. She explained to the team, that being an agent maybe temporary, because of everything that she has done these past two years. It was time for her to face the one person she was worried about the most. Ziva turned to Tony with a sad smile, she was about to say something to him, Tony ran out of the bull-pen, completely ignoring her. Ziva was ready to follow him, but Gibbs caught her arm and whispered, "He needs time."

The whole team witnessed the reaction that she received from Tony. They all had been hurt by Ziva's departure, but Tony was hurt the most. Because he was the one who spent a whole summer searching for her in the Middle East. He was the only one who said goodbye. Which was the hardest goodbye in his life, and the hardest 180 he has ever been through.  
After the whole thing that happened in the bull-pen with Tony, Ziva made her way upstairs to director's office with Gibbs, so they could do paperwork. Fortunately for her, the director didn't asked her to pass the FLECT again, as a 'thank you' for taking down his wife's killer. After signing her name on what felt like hundreds of documents, she was finally able to take her badge, gun, and her credentials with the name 'Special Agent Ziva David'.

After the excitement this morning, Gibbs gave them team the rest of the day and weekend off and told them to be back Monday morning. Bishop offered to give Ziva her desk back, but she didn't accepted the offer considering that this all might be temporary, plus the tension between her Tony, she didn't know how well sitting next across from him would go. However, she did appreciate Bishop's gesture a lot.  
Everything was a blur since he saw her face in the bullpen. One minute she was nowhere to be found and the next she was standing in front him with that Mona-Lisa smile that made his heart beat faster than anyone ever had. After he left the bull-pen, he went to his car and just drove, thinking about how hard these last two years have been without her. No matter how long it has been since she decided not to come back with him, he could still not move on, or stop thinking about what their lives could be like now. Sighing, he headed to his apartment. He poured himself a glass of bourbon, and sat on the couch. He knew that this was going to be a weekend full of thinking of her and drinking. And how he was going to be able to face her on Monday at NCIS.

Ziva could not stop thinking about what happen in the bull-pen with Tony yesterday. But she knew that she had things that needed to be done before she went back to work at NCIS Monday.

Eli's proxy attorney in D.C. had made all the arrangements for her to move into her new house. He also made sure that it would be relatively quick. Ziva had a few more arrangements to make, but they weren't enough to keep her distracted from what happened yesterday.

When he left her in Israel, she thought that they had parted on good terms and that he understood that she needed to find herself in order for her to ever be able to love the way that he deserved. And that she needed to do it alone. She thought that giving him her necklace, he would understand the promise, that they will meet again, but apparently she was wrong. Ziva lied awake in her new king-sized bed, trying everything that she could to fall asleep, but nothing was working. She sighed as she looked at the clock, (12:34 a.m) 'great' she thought, 'it is Saturday night and I am laying in bed in this a huge house, alone.' Groaning in frustration she threw the covers off of her, "I need to talk to him in person. Or I will never sleep," she said as she sat up.

Meanwhile Tony was in his apartment, sitting on the couch drinking beer, eating pizza and thinking about Ziva. He still couldn't believe that she was back at NCIS, and back in his life, after two years of not being there. Slowly and unsteadily he got up off the couch and headed to his bedroom, and as soon as his head hit the pillow he was asleep.

Ziva had hardly slept at all, she had bags under her eyes because she couldn't do anything but think of what she was going to say to Tony. She took a cab to Tony's apartment, she made a mental note to herself to buy a car, that way she did not have to depend on others.

She stepped out of the elevator, and walked down the hall until she was standing exactly in front of Tony's door. She was sweating and had butterflies in her stomach, she had faced rapists, murderers and terrorists, but she could not face Tony, the one person in the world that would never harm her. 'Why is this so hard?' she thought, 'that's because you love him and you have always been a coward when it comes to love, Ziva' she told herself. Taking a deep breath, she extended her finger to ring the doorbell. "It is now or never," she mumbled to herself as she rang the doorbell.

She gathered her all strength she had, so she could face him when he answered the door. But, she waited and he did not come, so she rang the bell again, and again, and still nothing. "Tony," she yelled. "Tony, are you in there?" Still no answer. So she turned and made her way to the elevator. 'Maybe he is not home, or maybe he is and just does not want to talk to me,' Ziva thought to herself. Making a mental not to corner him at work Monday so that they could figure this all out.


	5. Chapter 5

Tony woke up to a faint knocking and an unbearable hangover. "Shit," he exclaimed, as he got up to glance at his phone. He had no missed calls, so maybe he was dreaming about the knocking, he sighed in relief. If he didn't have any miss calls and there wasn't a continued beating on the door, then he was in the clear for now, but he could only guess that the faint knocking that he heard was part of a dream that he could not remember.

Monday came quickly, for Ziva's return as special agent at NCIS. She was determined more than ever to talk to Tony, and he was determined to avoid her in any way possible. She stepped out of the elevator and headed to the orange walls of the bull-pen, she never thought that she would ever actually miss that awful color, but she had. She went to her newly claimed desk, which was stationed next to McGee. She dropped her backpack behind her desk and plopped down in her chair, when she noticed a card, saying "Welcome Back". It was signed by everyone on the team, even Tony, 'Tony' she thought to herself. After what happened Friday, she didn't really know if he was happy that she was back or not. But she was going to find out that answer today when she would finally get to talk to him, and then she would be one-hundred percent sure if he was or not.

Everybody had shown up to work, except Tony. This was the second day in a row that he was late for work. As the team talked about Ziva's new house and filled out paperwork, the ding of the elevator sounded, and out walked Tony.

"Nice of you to join us, DiNozzo," Gibbs said sarcastically.

"Sorry, boss. Overslept. Won't happen again," Tony pleaded.

"Sure, it won't," Gibbs grunted.

Tony dropped his backpack next to his desk, and then plopped himself into his chair with a huff, and started typing away on his computer.

"Hey, Tony, Ziva was telling us about her new house and invited all of us over dinner tomorrow night," Ellie said with enthusiasm. Ziva tried to watch his reaction, but he didn't react at all.

"I hope Agent David will forgive me, but I will not be at this dinner. I have already made plans," Tony stated coldly.

Bishop and McGee exchanged a look, "A date, Tony?" Bishop asked, raising an eyebrow.  
Ziva tensed when she heard the word. Her heart started beating furiously waiting for him to answer. His hesitation made Ziva's stomach drop, and her face fall. Gibbs watched her reaction to the situation at hand, and noted that he needed to have them talk before this got out of hand.

"Not that it concerns you, but no, I'm going out with some old buddies from Baltimore," Tony answered, never taking his eyes off his computer screen. Ziva let out the breath she was holding, and visibly relaxed.

"Okay, that's of enough talking, get back to work," Gibbs barked.

Their whole day consisted of paperwork until Gibbs said, "Go home."  
Before Tony, left, he made his way to the men's room. Ziva saw this as her chance to talk to him. She managed to slip by unnoticed while she followed Tony. Tony was washing his hands in the sink when he heard the door cracking open. He didn't pay any attention to who came through the door until he heard the voice that belonged to that person.  
"Why you did you lie about your plans tomorrow?" Ziva asked as she closed and locked the door behind her.

"What do you want Zee-vah?" Tony asked her while he grabbed a paper towel to dry his hands without making an eye contact with her

"I want to know why you lied about your plans tomorrow." She repeated her previous question, "because I know when you lie Tony," she said crossing her arms in from of her chest and stood next to him at the sink.

The truth was she didn't know him anymore. The Tony she grew to love as a partner, as a friend, and as something more within the last couple of years had nothing to do with the Tony who was standing in front of her right now. This Tony wasn't the Tony who kissed her on that tarmac a few years ago. This Tony was another man.

"I don't care. Whatever you want to believe," he answered sternly.

"I'll be waiting for you, Tony."

"Well don't be because I've already told you I won't. Besides, I don't understand your obsession with me being there! The first time you didn't even have the kindness to invite me and now you keep pushing me to come! Is this a way of making it up to me for leaving?"

"Tony," Ziva said placing herself against the wall so she could face him still keeping her arms always crossed on her chest, "I thought that that night in the airport we..."

"We what Ziva?" He cut her off and faced her with full of anger, "that we separated on good terms? That I had to understand that you needed to do this alone when I begged you to come back to D.C. with me so that I could change with you and you rejected me?" Tony couldn't stop himself.

Ziva lowered her eyes to the floor, not from a shame but because tears were pooling her eyes.

"I am sorr-"

"Rule 6, Agent David. Never say you're sorry, it's a sign of weakness." He answered coldly.

Ziva rose her head and looked into Tony eyes, tears still pooling her eyes. "So you are not happy to see me and you don't want any connection with me, right?" She asked.

"Honestly Ziva, if you would've asked me few days ago I would have said yes, I would have been happy but now, frankly I don't know..." he answered. 

"l see," Ziva said swallowing a lump in her throat. Pushing herself from the wall and uncrossing her arms, she walked towards the door. Before she opened the door she turned her head to Tony who was looking his reflection in the mirror. "By the way Tony, one thing that I've learned during my spiritual trip the last two years is that when you really apologize to someone, it is something that needs a lot of courage." With that, she unlocked the door and left him standing there.

The next day, Ziva was the first one that arrived at work. McGee was next, followed by Bishop and few minutes later Tony showed up. After yesterday's events, and knowing that she's not welcomed by Tony, she was determined not to approach him again. After a half an hour, Gibbs showed up with a cup a coffee in his hands. Being the second day in the row that they were working on paperwork, it was very boring but seemed no-one to protest it, not even Tony. When it was lunch time, Ziva stood up from her desk and headed to Gibbs' desk sitting in front of him she asked him, "Gibbs, may I talk with you?" Gibbs raised his eyes up to her to make an eye contact with her, "in private," she clarified.

"Ok, my office," he said and both of them made their way to the elevator. McGee threw a questioning look to Bishop and she just shrugged. Tony was completely focus on his computer typing his report, hitting the keys rather furiously. 

Ziva was anxious while she and Gibbs waited for the elevator to arrive. As soon as they stepped into the elevator and it came to life, Gibbs flicked the emergency switch off and it came to halt. Before Gibbs even managed to turn his head to face Ziva, she "dropped" the bomb...

"I am resigning," she blurted out.

"What?" After an eight year partnership, it was the first time that Ziva had seen a shocked Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

"You heard what I said, Gibbs, I am resigning," she repeated.

"Ziva, listen..."

"No. You listen to me." She cut him off, "I gave it a try. But I can't do it not anymore," her voice cracked.

"It's about DiNozzo." He said more as a statement than a question. She didn't answer him, instead, she lowered herself onto the floor and crossed her arms on her chest placing herself against the cool metal. 

Gibbs sighed scratched the back of his head and faced her, "just give him time to adjust to the fact that you are back."

"Gibbs, you have always been the closest thing I have ever had to a father," she said looking him in the eyes, "and you know that. You also know that it is the right thing for me to do."

"Ziva, I can't let you do that," he said as a lump formed in his throat, "please give it a chance," his voice cracked.

"Gibbs, I am not leaving D.C. I am just leaving NCIS. Are you willing to jeopardize the team's integrity? What about when we're out in the field, huh? Are you willing to jeopardize Ellie's and Tim's life because I cannot corporate with Tony?" She told him. She was right. He couldn't. This team was his family, his children and he couldn't do that to them. But he also he knew that he couldn't give up on her.

"Two weeks. Just give it two weeks and if it's not better by then, I'll let you resign," Gibbs offered as a compromise.

"No Gibbs, when we need to go out to the field, what will happen then?"

"I'll pair you with McGee or Bishop. Besides, you have been here one day and she already looks up to you," Gibbs said with a shy smile.

"I am not a person that she should be looking up to, especially a girl like Ellie," Ziva said looking at her shoes.

"Oh yes you are. You've changed since you've come to America. You became a better person even if you don't believe it," Gibbs said as he flicked the emergency switch back on and the elevator came back to life.

"What if it doesn't work out, Gibbs? Then what we will do?"

"We will see Ziver, but I won't let you leave team. Any of you for that fact." He stated sternly. "So what's for dinner tonight?" Gibbs asked with a smirk.

Ziva chuckled, "I want it to be a surprise, if I tell you then it would not be." Ziva headed back to the squad room and McGee's and Bishop's eyes followed her. "Is there anything that you would like to ask?" she asked settling herself into her desk.

"Huh, yeah, what time do you want us to come for dinner?" McGee asked.

"Six o'clock, Tim, although I think it was not your real question was it?" Ziva asked him.

"No, Ziva, that was my real question," McGee tried to cover his anxiety.

"Where's Tony?" asked Bishop.

"Coffee run," McGee replied as both he and Bishop moved their eyes to Ziva.

"I can feel you watching me," Ziva said not taking her eyes of the computer screen,  
immediately both of them paid attention to their computers screens.

'Tony was right,' McGee thought, 'damn ninja skills'. 

Gibbs headed to the elevator to see Ducky. After the elevators doors opened widely, the Scottish man's voice filled the cold room," I suppose, Jethro, you didn't come for a professional visit as we haven't had a new case for couple of days."

"More like a social visit I would say," Gibbs stated as Ducky handed him a glass of Scotch.

"Fifteen year old genuine Scotch," Ducky stated, "a colleague of mine in Medical School sent to me. Better than bourbon," Ducky continued, clapping his glass with Gibbs' as he drew a chair to sit in so he could face Gibbs who sat at the edge of the autopsy table.

"Ziver wanted to resign today," Gibbs told Ducky as he took one sip of his Scotch.  
Ducky raised an eyebrow," she said that this situation with DiNozzo would be the integrity of the team and the lives of its members are at stake once we are in the field."

"She has a good point, Jethro, hasn't she? You were lucky those days that there were no cases."

Gibbs nodded, "I told her to give it two weeks and that I'll pair her with McGee or Bishop for now."

"You are right, Jethro, but you have to act fast before Vance splits the team again. He knows what's going on, he's not silly, he's just waiting to see where this whole mess will lead to," Ducky warned.

"I know, Duck, I know."

There was a silence for a while until Gibbs spoke again, "you know, Ducky," holding his glass with both of his hands, "sometimes I wonder what if... what if I had let them break rule 12? Would they have given in to the temptation? Would they have been together?"

"Oh yes, they would have given in but it wouldn't have lasted," Ducky said without hesitation. This caught Gibbs' attention.

"After Somalia though," he continued, "they could have made it work."

"I'm afraid that it's too late for them Duck," he confessed drinking the last sip of his Scotch.

"You know, Jethro, they remind me a little bit of you and Jenny," Ducky said smiling.

"Yes, in stubbornness and the fight maybe, but in love they remind me of Shannon and I. Thanks for the drink, Duck," Gibbs said to Ducky as he walked to the elevator.

"Anytime my friend, anytime."


	6. Chapter 6

Hello, here is chapter 6. Hope you like it. All mistakes are ours, so sorry if there are any.

-A&amp;J

* * *

Dinner time came quickly, everyone was at Ziva's house on time, everyone except Tony. Ziva expected it, especially after yesterday's conversation in the men's room, but it still hurt like hell. She hoped that he would change his mind and show up anyway, but he didn't. No one said anything about him missing because that knew how sore that subject was.

After a tour of the house, they all sat at the table and ate, laughing and drinking. They all finished their dinner, and help clean the dining room. They migrated to the living room with their drinks, sitting around, telling stories about their lives the two past years. They were all curious about Ziva's life in Israel during the bombings, where she volunteered in Israeli Army. She told them how her relationship with Orli came to good terms and she that she finally understood that the Director of Mossad really did love her father.

She also managed to get to know Bishop a little bit better, like the quirky way she behaved and the way she ate most of the chips, she could not help but to think of Tali. Bishop reminded her of Tali in a lot of a ways, besides if Tali was alive she would be almost the same age with Bishop. And maybe that was the reason that Ziva felt that she needed protect her like she could not protect her own sister.

The smile that Ziva had plastered on her face quickly faded, when she heard about Delilah's injury during Parsa's attack on the gala, where she went with McGee, the Palmer's baby adoption fiasco, Tony being framed for a murder in Paris when he was on a mission and of course Jackson's death. Although they assured her that everything is fine because Delilah was almost fully recovered, and Jimmy with Breena had their own child now, but she felt that everybody was a little off, especially McGee, because during the whole the conversation he looked tensed. And after a while McGee had excused himself to the bathroom. Upon his return to the rest of the company, bumped into Ziva.

"What is wrong, McGee? I saw how tense you were during that conversation," Ziva asked with concern.

"Everything is fi…" McGee tried to say but was cut off before he could finish.

"Do not lie to me, McGee," she spoke with her 'I know when you are lying voice', "am I not welcomed to you too?" she asked sadly.

"Do you want the truth, Ziva?" McGee asked keenly "I'm happy you're back, but do you have any idea what Tony has been through? Did you know that he couldn't sleep for days thinking of you every single hour?" McGee exclaimed  
Ziva stayed silent her eyes wide open, and tears threated. "Did you know..."

"McGee stop!" Gibbs barked. The rest of the team not far behind him, hearing McGee's shouting in the hallway.

"No, Boss, she has to know. She has to know that Tony has even named one of his fish after her, just to have a reason to say her name. That he joined a men's support group, just so he can get over you, Ziva," McGee's outburst was endless. "Even his...his ex girlfriend was almost spitting image of you," he finally finished.

"Are those things true?" Ziva asked, but no one answered her, they just looked at her with sad eyes. "God dammit answer me. Are those things true?" She asked again a little louder this time, but still no one answered. Abby bit her lip, while Palmer and Ducky lowered their eyes on the ground. Gibbs as always stayed expressionless, and McGee breathed heavily like a weight had been lifted of his shoulders.

"I didn't..." Bishop started and everyone looked at her, "I didn't know about men's group, until tonight, but I could see in his eyes the…the sadness...the grief, even when he was smiling," Bishop said quietly.

"Excuse me," she said pushing past Gibbs and ran down the hallway to the stairs.

"Ziva," Abby shouted and before she followed her to the stairs, she turned to McGee and said, "Nice work, McGee."

The rest of the team stayed motionless, and wordless, until Gibbs broke the silence, "I think it is time that we all go home," he sighed.

Abby reached Ziva's bedroom, she tried to open the door, but it was locked. "Ziva, please open the door," Abby asked, as she knocked on the door lightly.

"Please go away," Ziva's voice cracked.

"I'm not going anywhere, and you know that. Please open the door, Ziva," Abby insisted. A few moments later Abby heard the door unlock and watched as the door slowly opened, revealing a very broken Ziva. Ziva turned and headed for her bed. She plopped down, head first, burying her face into her pillow. Soon soft sobs filled the room, cautions, Abby sit on the edge of the bed and started to softly comb Ziva's her in an attempt to calm her down.

"I hurt him again, Abby," she managed to say between her sobs. "He gave me everything, saved me countless times and the only thing I ever do to him is hurt and rejecting him," she cried.

"Shh, everything is going to be okay, Ziva," Abby promised, as tears started to spill over her eyes.

"I love him, Abby, I always have," Ziva confessed without hesitation.

"I know sweetie, I know," Abby confirmed. It took hours for Abby to calm Ziva down. Abby volunteer to stay overnight just in case Ziva needed anything, but Ziva reassured her that she was fine. So Abby left, and Ziva cried herself to sleep.

* * *

"One more," Tony slammed the glass to the counter.

"Sir, are you sure? You have already drunk 6." The bartender asked.

"I said one more," he said pulling another twenty dollar bill from his wallet and put it on the counter. So the bartender filled his glass with more scotch. Tony grabbed the glass with his right hand and downed it in one gulp, while his left hand loosened his tie.

"One more "Tony demanded

"I think the bartender is right you have already drunk too much," a familiar voice caught his attention. Turning around to face a woman with brown curly hair and light olive skin. She was dressed in a long black dress.

"Long time, no see," Tony said smirking, "please have a seat, do you want a drink?" he asked.

"No thank you. I am driving, Tony," the woman answered.

"I am driving too, but I'm still drinking," Tony smirked, "one more." The  
bartender filled his glass, yet again, knowing it was useless to persuade him that he had had enough. When Tony was about to take another swig of alcohol, the woman stopped him.

"Okay, Tony, that's enough."

"Amanda, why are you here? I thought you were out of town," Tony asked sternly.

"Business. I'll stay few days in town but..."she brought her face few inches from his. "I'll stay longer, if you would like," she whispered to his ear seductively.

Tony smiled and then asked seriously, "So you have plans for me, huh?"

"Yes, because some of our plans didn't work out the two months that we were together," she whispered as she made her lips come within inches of his. "I want to make you mine," she said full of passion. She brushed her lips on his.

Tony pulled away a little and studied the woman, the drinking that he had done prior to this made him have the need to have his ninja in his arms, and the longer he looked at this woman, she stopped being Amanda and started to be Ziva, his ninja. He kissed her roughly this time, intertwining his fingers into her wild curls, but something was off, something that he couldn't put finger on it. And then it downed on him.

_**Flashback  
**__Standing on the tarmac in Tel Aviv, Ziva looked into his eyes "Tony you are so..."  
Tony was intrigued by what Ziva wanted to say, he made a few steps towards her. "Handsome? Funny? What?" He asked flashing a sad DiNozzo smile. _

_"Loved," she answered after few moments with a sad grin, and tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. _

_Looking deep into her eyes, he pulled Ziva's head close and kissed her passionately, pouring every ounce of love he had into it. He pulled away for few seconds to catch his breath, then he kissed her again, but this time he kissed her softly but with just as much meaning as the first._  
_**End of flashback**_

That was it. It didn't taste like Ziva's kiss. This wasn't Ziva. He came to his senses, and pulled away so quickly that he hit the glass of scotch with his arm that was abandoned on the counter, making the alcohol spill everywhere.

"I can't," he mumbled leaving Amanda speechless, "I can't, no, no I can't," he repeated  
and without another word, he stood up from the stool with such a force that it fell over. And he ran towards the exit.

"Tony, where are you going?" Amanda shouted after him, standing up from her stool.

Tony untied his tie completely, feeling as he was suffocating from the alcohol and what just happened. A few minutes later he had made it to his car, he put his keys into the engine, and listens to it come to life and disappeared to the dark roads of D.C.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello, we are sorry that it took so long for this chapter, what can we say school sucks and we had to change some stuff because the awfulness that is becoming NCIS. So here is chapter number 7. We hope you like it. **

**-A&amp;J**

* * *

The next day the air in the bull-pen was so full of tension that you could cut it with a knife in the bullpen. Tony and Ziva were nowhere to be found and they were both already over an hour late. As Gibbs glanced at his other two agents, he could see the guilt written all over McGee's face and Bishop was full of skepticism. Gibbs sighed because of the situation, stood up from his desk and informed them that he was going for coffee and headed towards the elevator. As soon as the door opened, out stepped a very worried Abby.

"Gibbs, how is Ziva? Is she okay?" Abby asked worried.

"I don't know, Abs. She's not here yet. I'm going for coffee," Gibbs declared, stepping around Abby.

Abby then headed towards Bishop's desk and greeted Bishop with a simple hello.

"Hey," Bishop responded taking her eyes from McGee to look at Abby, "he's been that way ever since he showed up this morning," she continued.

"He better be," Abby said, "Ziva was a wreck last night before I left."

"What happened after we left?" Bishop asked curiously.

"Well after I went up to her room where she was crying. I got her calmed down enough to talk to me. She told me that…" She was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"That I am sorry that I left you all here during my time to fix everything that is screwed up with my life," Ziva snapped. Both Abby and Bishop turned their heads with wide eyes.

"Ziva," Abby tried to explain but Ziva continued to walk past them and towards the staircase.

"Ziva, just talk to me," Abby followed.

"I trusted you, Abby," Ziva exclaimed turning to face Abby, "I trusted you and you were about to tell Ellie what I told you yesterday. You are like a sister to me and…"

"And you are like a sister to me but you left me, you left us, remember?" Abby shot back.

"I thought you understood why, Abby, but-" Abby cut her off.

"I tried to understand but I couldn't and honestly I still can't," her voice dripping with bitterness.

"Great," Ziva hissed sarcastically throwing her hands up in surrender, "first, Tony, then McGee, and now you! Who is next, Abby? Ducky? Palmer? Gibbs?" Ziva raised her voiced.

"Well, you did hurt all of us when you left," Abby cried. "I hated you, Ziva. I hated you for leaving us like you did, with everything that was happening with Parsa and not letting us know if you were alive. I hated you because I didn't have our friendship anymore and I…" Abby was stopped by the emotion that over took her. Ziva then embraced her in a huge, tight hug just like the one Abby gave them when Tony, McGee, Gibbs, and her returned from getting rescued from Somalia.

"But most of all I hated you because I missed you," Abby whispered in a trembling voice.

"Oh, Abby. I missed you, too," Ziva said barely above a whisper.

"I'm still mad at you for the way you left though," she declared sternly.

"I know," Ziva said with a light chuckle.

"Don't ever leave us again, okay?" She said firmly as she pulled away from the hug.

"Never, I am here for good," Ziva replied without hesitation which made Abby smile. The two made their way back to the bull-pen where she was confronted by McGee.

"Ziva, can I talk to you?" McGee asked.

"Of course, Tim" she replied. Bishop figured that was her cue to leave because her colleagues wanted some privacy so she made up an excuse that she need to go to the copy room and make some copies.

"Listen, Ziva, about yester.-"

"No listen to me, Tim," she cut him off, "you were right, I should have contacted you every once in a while when I was gone instead of cutting all ties completely. It was wrong of me but at the time I thought it was the right thing to do…right for me, and for all of you, to do this alone. So it is me, who should apologize, not you, not Abby, not anyone else," she said apologetic.

"It's just..." McGee started, "the way you left without saying goodbye was hard for all us and the fact that you didn't contact us made us think the worst..." The young man trailed off. "Because the last time we lost contact with you for a long period of time, we thought that…" His voice cracked, "and when there were bombings in Israel. Then when w-we found out the number of Israeli casualties," he swallowed a lump in his throat, "we prayed that you weren't..." He didn't finish before he was engulfed into a hug.

"Oh, McGee," she said hugging him tight, "I had no idea," Ziva whispered.

"It doesn't matter now, you're here safe and sound. And you're not leaving again, are you?" He asked with a little bit of panic in his voice. Ziva pulled away from their embrace.

"No, McGee, I am here to stay this time," Ziva reassured him with a smile.

"So, are we okay?" McGee asked hesitantly.

"Of course, we are okay, McGee," Ziva smile widen.

After driving through the city all night, Tony returned to his apartment to take a shower and to get changed into fresh clothes. He knew that he was late for work but he didn't care. He stepped out from the elevator onto the MCRT floor and headed for his desk. He noticed that everyone was at their desks besides his boss.

"And the new world record for being late goes to…Anthony DiNozzo Jr," McGee commented sarcastically.

"Shut up, Probie," Tony spat back at him. He wasn't in the mood for McGee's sarcasm.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs barked at him from the top of the stairs. Tony assumed he was coming from Director's office. "My office now! You, too, David," he pointed at her.

"Gibbs, I did not do…" but she stopped when she noticed her boss's glare, "fine, I am coming," she groaned throwing her hands up in surrender.

After the three of them entered the elevator, Gibbs flipped the emergency switch and the cool, metal box came to halt. Gibbs turned his head quickly to face his agents.

"Boss, about McGee..." Tony tried to explain.

"That's not the reason I brought you in here, DiNozzo. The reason I brought you here is to point out and make you understand the consequences of your actions to the team." Ziva was ready to protest but Gibbs stopped her by holding up his finger.

"I don't care how you do it, but fix it. Because if this team falls apart again, there is no way back...it will be forever. Vance will send you both as agents afloat and this time I won't take you back. I will let you both remain in some air carrier until you retired, no matter how many times Abby asks me to bring you back. Do I make myself clear?" Gibbs asked forcefully.

"Yes, Boss."

"Yes, Gibbs," Tony and Ziva said in unison.

"Good," Gibbs said turning to pull the emergency switch back on.  
As soon as Gibbs exited the elevator, Ziva reached over and flipped the switch again and then turned to face him.

"I do not care if Vance or Gibbs decide to make me an agent afloat for the rest of my life but what I do care about is being the reason this team is spilt up for the third time because I have hurt them enough already. And I am trying to apologize for that. I will do anything in my power to keep this team united, you should know that," Ziva finished and flipped the switch back on. As the doors opened she added, "the ball is in your court, Tony," and stepped out of the elevator leaving Tony alone to process what just happened.

After she stepped out the elevator, Ziva headed for her desk.

"Ziva," Ellie said standing up from her desk, making her way towards Ziva.

"What?" Ziva snapped at Ellie turning her head towards her.

"N-nothing," Ellie said a little timid and hurt, "I-I just wanted to..." She trailed off.

"I am sorry, Ellie. I did not mean to slap at you," Ziva sighed as she apologized.

"I think you mean snap…" Ellie corrected her hesitantly, biting her bottom lip.

"Yes, snap. I am sorry if I snapped at you. It's just…" Ziva cut herself off as she sat in her chair behind her desk.

"I understand. I just wanted to make sure that everything is okay," Ellie explained. "Which it probably isn't," she added ironically.

There was some silence before Ellie spoke again.

"You love him, don't you?" Ellie stated and Ziva looked at her, "Tony, I mean," the young woman clarified and Ziva's face dropped.

"Does it really matter?" Ziva said locking her eyes on Ellie's, "Because frankly, I do not think it matters anymore," Ziva bitterly answer her own question.

"He has feelings for you, you know," Ellie told Ziva.

"The only feelings that he has for me, Ellie, is anger," Ziva started, "but maybe he had those feelings before, but now he does not."

The younger agent looked at Ziva with sympathy. She understood that Ziva was aching from the painful situation between her and Tony. Honestly, she didn't know what to say to Ziva to ease the pain.

"I do not blame him, though," Ziva continued, "I was the one who left so he has every right to be angry. But for any other kind of relationship between us besides of being partners, it is too late," Ziva said to the young woman looking at her with a sympathetic face. "It is too late."

"Even a friendship?" Ellie asked curiously and Ziva nodded with a sad smile.

"Especially with him because I betrayed our friendship so many times and I do not deserve another chance," Ziva explained.

"If you will excuse me, I need to use the restroom," Ziva said to Ellie and standing up from her desk. She rushed out of the bullpen towards the bathroom with tears pooling her in eyes.

Ellie watched Ziva rush out of the bull-pen until she disappeared around the corner of the hallway. She understood that Ziva didn't want to cry in front of her and she respected that. Returning to her desk, she sighed at her colleague's situation. The only thing she could do right now is hope that things for them would soon change.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello guys, I am terribly sorry for the very long wait for this update. I have been very busy. I have been slammed with test like almost everyday, so there for all I do is study. Shoot me. And then we got in trouble with not doing school work on our computers during study hall so I wasn't able to edit and stuff during that like usual, so therefore I suck, and I am sorry. But finals are this coming week and I thought that I could give you this chapter and then you could hopefully have another by the next week! So I hope that you all don't hate us for this extremely long wait! And we hope you enjoy or do hate us more after this update. Thank you to everyone that reviewed, favorited and followed we love you all! :) **

**-A&amp;J **

* * *

After the conversation he just had with Gibbs and Ziva, he decided to ride the rest of the way down to Abby's lab. He could hear her music before the elevator doors even opened.

"Abby," he shouted as he tapped her back trying to get her attention.

"Ah, Tony there you are," Abby hugged him, while she turned off her music.

"How was last night with your buddies?" Abby asked after pulling away from the embrace.

"It was good; we talked, drank, the usual stuff," he answered casually, "how was your dinner?" He asked, kind of eager for answers.

Abby bit her lip, "It was...interesting."

"Why, what happened?" Tony asked confused. He could sense that something was wrong but he couldn't put a finger on what it was.

"You would have known if you came instead of making up a fake excuse, Tony," she said with a little bit of a tone. Tony had never lied to Abby, or at least never got away with it, except the time he was undercover with Jeanne. He always preferred to not talk about things than lie to her. She was like the sister that he never had. "I'm sorry, Tony, it's just these last couple of days there has been so much tension between the team that..." she trailed off.

"I know, Abs, I know," he assured her.

"Tony, you know I look up to you and respect you. I love you like a brother, but this team is falling apart. And I know what Ziva did, not keeping contact with us at all, which I am mad at her for that, believe me, but she regrets it. Please just let it go, you are the rock of this team. I'm not asking you to have the relationship you had before she left, I'm just asking you to do what is necessary to keep this team united," Abby said as she approached Tony.

Placing her hands on his shoulders and squeezing him, she went on, "you are the only constant besides Gibbs on this team. Please, don't let this team fall apart.''

"I know, Abs. I'm just scared that she will leave again and I don't think the team will be able to handle it if she was to leave again," he confessed.

In truth, he was more worried that he wouldn't be able to handle it if Ziva left again. Of course the team would have a hard time if she was to leave again but they would just act like they did this time. What really concerned him was the fact that he loves her with all of his heart and he wouldn't be able to deal with her leaving again if he was to let her in. So he opted to do everything that he could to keep himself away from her when they weren't at work because he wouldn't have the ability to fight the urge to kiss her or to stop himself from telling her that he loved her. The more he is around her, the stronger it was becomes, because all of this anger he has towards her was just an act to try and protect his heart from being broke again.

"She's not going anywhere, Tony. She came back here to stay. No, she may not be completely healed, but she won't leave again. And of that, I am one hundred percent sure about," Abby said without hesitation.

"I'm not sure, Abbs, but I will promise you one thing though. I'm going to do everything in my power to keep this team together. I will see you later," he promised her and headed for the elevator.

"Bye, Tony," Abby exclaimed.

The days continued to pass without cases, they just worked on cold cases and paper work, dancing around each other making sure nothing was said. But finally the day came when Gibbs came with a different bounce in his step.

"Grab your gear," Gibbs barked.

All four agents jumped up at the chance of getting out of the office and in the field. The past three days of paperwork and cold cases had been torture. The case was a marine who had been stabbed to death. Gibbs gave orders, pairing Ziva with McGee to process the scene and Bishop with Tony to gather witness statements. The case wrapped up fairly quick and they were back in the field within the next couple of days with a new case, and then another came about. Eventually Gibbs had to do the inevitable. Especially with Vance stalking his every move he had no choice. He had no choice but to pair Tony with Ziva. It worked, but everyone in the Navyard could see that they didn't have the spark they did before and that they weren't the Tony and Ziva from the past anymore.

It was all pleasantries; please pass the file, will you bring the evidence, may I see the stapler, could you take the report, no more teasing, no more correcting idioms, no more eye-sex, no more moral support to each other.

Cases came and went, the days turned into weeks, the weeks then turned into months. Gibbs sighed and shook his head in desperation. After months of Ziva's return nothing had changed. These two weren't the agents he once had but it was starting to work. There was a new calmness to his team. But then again there was a saying about _the calm before the storm_.

The calm ended with a phone call Ziva received in the bull-pen when everyone was supposed to be at lunch.

"David," she answered her cell phone without looking the caller ID.

"_Shalom, Ziva_" a familiar male voice replied from the other end.

"Adam," she exclaimed happily in Hebrew, "it has been a while."

"_A while, Ziva? Really? You totally forgot about us_," he complained with a laugh.

"Oh, Adam stop. I did not forget about you all," she said with a laugh. "What do you need? There must be something you want tell me since you called me during the middle of the day."

"_Is this a bad time?_" Adam asked.

"I am at work," she said scanning the bullpen; seeing that there was no one around, she continued, "but I can talk."

_"Well, I'm calling to tell you that I'm getting married,_" he announced happily.

"Nooo," she drew out the word as she stood up for her desk and started walking around the bullpen.

_"Yes, Zivaleh. I proposed to Angelina yesterday. I think it was about time, we have been together for five years,_" he said casually.

"Yes it is. Congratulations, Adam. I am happy for you and her," she said honestly.

_"I know, Zivaleh, I know. I hope one day you will be as happy as I am_," Adam expressed to his friend that he had supported for so long. He wanted to make sure she found her happy ending as well.

"Me too," Ziva said sadly as she leaned against Gibbs' desk for support.

_"Well that is up to you, Ziva, you know that,"_ Adam reminded her.

"Adam…"Ziva began, but was cut off.

_"I know, I know, but I think you should tell him the truth before he finds out from someone else,"_ he said softly.

"The only people that know the truth about what really happened that night are you, Angelina, and I. Besides, I do not think it matters anymore. He barely talks to me," she whispered the last part.

_"You know better, I'm just saying_," Adam said with a light chuckle.

"Goodbye Adam, give my regards and congrats to Angelina."

_"We miss you, Zivaleh."_

"I miss you too, both of you, Adam," Ziva said, ending the call with a smile.

"If you miss him, Ziva, then why you are here?" a male voice came from the edge of the bull-pen.

Ziva was momentarily left speechless when she realized who was in the bull-pen with her, "Tony...ho...how much…did you hear?" she managed to ask, turning to face him. She didn't notice that he had returned from lunch, much less that Tony could understand most of the conversation she just had in Hebrew with Adam.

"Not much, but enough," he said coldly, but the pain in his voice and face was obvious.

"Tony it's not..." but he cut her off.

"I don't care what it is, but I do care that you're lying! 'A moment of weakness'..." he said with a sarcastic laugh, "BULLSHIT," he yelled.

"Tony, calm down," Ziva said calmly.

He grabbed her arm, angrily clenching his teeth and said, "don't tell me to calm down. Don't you ever tell me what to do again."

Tears streamed down her face. The whole office had stood up to watch the argument, their work abandoned on their desks.

Coming to his senses, Tony let go of her arm. He turned for his desk, grabbed his backpack and rushed towards to the elevator, boiling with anger.

"DiNozzo, what the hell just happened?" Gibbs barked as he ran down the stairs from Director's office, "DiNozzo, get back in here, dammit!"

Tony didn't listen. As the elevator doors opened, he stepped in and disappeared as the doors closed.

Gibbs continued to Ziva, whose tears were still falling down her face. "Ziver, are you okay?" Gibbs asked rubbing her back trying to calm her down.

"I am fine... G...Gib...Gibbs..." she tried to say between sobs.

"You are not fine, Ziver. Please tell me what happened."

"I just want to go home," was the only thing she managed to say.

"Okay let-" She then cut him off.

"Alone. Please," she told him.

"Okay, just call me when you get there, so I know you made it there alright."

"Okay," she nodded as she grabbed her backpack and headed for the elevator.

The drive from the Navyard to her house was a blur. She pulled into her driveway and put her car in park. She threw her head against the headrest. She closed her eyes and remembered she had to let Gibbs know she made it home, so she pulled out her cell phone, sent him a text, then went inside. She dropped her backpack and keys by the front door and slowly made her way to the stairs.

Making her way to the bathroom, she stripped off her clothes. She turned on the hot water and stepped into the bathtub. She leaned her forehead against the cool wall of her bathroom and allowed the hot water to run down her back. The tears had started to stream down her face again. She had reached her breaking point more in these last couple of weeks than she had in her whole life.

Once the tears stopped, she stepped out of the hot shower and into her cold bedroom. She put on her favorite pair of sweatpants and Tony's OSU shirt that he left in Israel two years ago. Although it no longer smells like him, the fact that it was his is just enough comfort for her right now. She felt safe when she wore it, just like that night in Paris when Tony took her into his arms. He was the only man that could ever make her feel completely safe after what happened in Somalia. After that night in Paris, he was the only man she would ever want to hold her like that again. She wrapped herself up in her blanket and fell asleep thinking of that night in Paris, with Tony holding her.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Happy New Year! Familiar Faces are back! My apologies to all of you for the delay…from now on I hope the updates will be more frequent…**

**I would like to announce that Joan stopped to take part on this story..However I would like to thank her, for her contribution until now… this story is still ours nothing can change that…**

**Special thanks **

** To Tereza.. who was the one who encouraged me to continue this story and with her valuable help I came back with a new chapter and of course for the fact that she helped me on a difficult for me personal situation when no one else had.**

**To: Laitie my newly personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors…countless thank you. Your help is priceless **

**And of course all of you that followed reviewed and favorited the story **

**This new chapter of Familiar Faces….Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

After so many hours, Gibbs still couldn't understand what had happened between his agents. What had caused Tony's anger towards Ziva He tried to find out something from the other agents who were present during the incident, but none of them had known the cause. Plus, he had to face Vance, who, after hearing the fight, had lectured him for his Agents' behavior, telling him that this was the last time he would tolerate it. Gibbs didn't answer, this time, with some erratic comment. On the contrary, he just left the Director's office silent because he knew that this time Vance was right. He started to doubt his insistence on bringing Ziva back to NCIS and the team. For the first time as a team leader, Leroy Jethro Gibbs had lost control. That was when his thoughts were interrupted by McGee.

"Boss, is there anything we can do for you?" Both McGee's and Bishop's eyes were focused to the silver-haired man, waiting for orders

"Trace Dinozzo's cell phone if you can,"Gibbs ordered, sighing.

"On it, Boss."After typing furiously on his computer, McGee continued "uhm, Boss?"

"Yes, McGee!"

"I traced Tony's cell…it's in the building."

"Call it!" Gibbs barked

As the sound of ringing echoed in the bullpen through the phone speaker, the sound of Tony's cell went off on his first drawer to the rhythm of Frank Sinatra's song, 'New York, New York,' making McGee snap his head in the direction of Tony's desk, Gibbs roll his eyes and Bishop bite her lip. For some strange reason, whenever Ellie heard Tony's cell phone ringing with that particular song, she couldn't fight the urge to laugh.

Ending the call by pressing the "End" button, McGee turned to his boss."I can put a BOLO out for his car boss if you..."

"Go home McGee," Gibbs said, sighing. He stood up from his desk and headed for the elevator before he continued, "you, too,Ellie. See you both tomorrow."

The two Agents' eyes followed Gibbs, and as soon as he was out of sight, they turned to each other, shrugging, before they grabbed their backpacks and left.

* * *

Parking his car in one of the most infamous neighborhoods, well known for prostitutes with their pimps and drug suppliers,Tony headed to the "Julie,'' a bar well-known to this area for its 24/7 serving and, of course, its girls. He had discovered it a few years ago the night that Gibbs announced that the Damocles had sunk and there were no survivors, while Ziva was on board. He did it over and over again, drinking and hooking up with some girl from the bar in a some cheap hotel, until it was the time to go home, so he could change to fresh clothes for work and repeat the same thing the day after. Until Tony had had enough and made a purpose of his life to take down Saleem, because he had taken the most precious thing in his life besides his mother. His only true love, (although he never said it out loud) his soul mate. But seeing Ziva alive in front of him after 3 months, his heart skipped. He came back to life because all that time he thought Ziva was dead, he was dead, now Tony was here again drinking and listening jazz in the background. But in his ears were echoing, again, Ziva's words on the phone,_'I miss you, too,Adam. I miss you, too, Adam.' _repeating all over again in his mind, until his thoughts of it were interrupted by a familiar melody and the words that followed tightened his heart. It was the song that they had danced to in Berlin. Memories from that night flashed before his eyes. The way they had looked a teach other's eyes, the way he had managed to fight the urge to kiss her while they were dancing. Crashing the glass into the wall,Tony had only one thought in his mind that moment: 'this has to stop.'

Loud noises were coming from downstairs, interrupting Ziva's sleep. At the beginning, she thought that might have been an intruder. But as she was coming to her consciousness, she understood that someone was knocking on her door with force. Glancing at the nightstand, the alarm was showing 21:30. She groaned because the unexpected visitor had interrupted her from the best dream she had had in the last couple of months. Her thoughts about Tony and Paris a few hours ago had made her dream that night about the event which took place there. She got up from the bed, unwillingly, and went down the stairs to open the door to the person who had almost demolished her front door. She was so desperate for whoever was at the door to stop knocking that she didn't even look through the peephole before she opened it.

"What are you doing here?" Ziva asked, surprised, facing the last person she thought she would see. "I thought you made yourself clear earlier, Tony," she went on sternly. But when she went to close the door, Tony stopped her, pushing her inside the house. As he came closer, Ziva could smell the alcohol on him.

"You lied to me! You told me that he meant nothing to you!"Tony shouted at her "And I…and I believed you and…and I lo…" he went on with a cracked voice.

"Tony, you're drunk. Maybe we should talk…"Ziva said, trying to make Tony calm down

"I told you not to tell me what to do!"Tony yelled at Ziva's face, interrupting her. But he didn't stop. Grabbing her wrists, he pushed her against the wall with force.

"Tony, you're drunk. Let me go! You're hurting me!"Ziva begged with a cracked voice, trying to resist.

Tony tightened his grip on Ziva's wrists and that was the exact moment that his eyes locked on hers. She had a look in her eyes that Tony had seen before. It was in Somalia, after Saleem had pulled the hood from Ziva's head. A look of surprise mixed with fear. After seeing that look in her eyes, it downed on him. Ziva was afraid of him.

Tony let her wrists free and took a few steps back, rubbing his face with his one hand.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." his voice cracked.

"Tony..."Ziva tried to approach him, but he took a few more steps back

"I'm so sorry, so sorry!" he repeated again. He had hurt Ziva. He couldn't stand it.

He opened the door and ran out the house, ignoring Ziva's shouts for him to come back. He couldn't believe what he had just done. This time he had totally screwed up.

* * *

Ziva was afraid for Tony. After he had left she made countless phone calls to his cell and apartment, but he never picked up. She always got to his voice mails. She started to panic. She was afraid that he might have hurt himself. She should have followed him. She shouldn't have let him leave in the state he was in. After two hours of failed attempts to reach him, she called Abby. Hearing Ziva so panicked, she made it to Ziva's house on record time. After seeing how desperate Ziva was, Abby called McGee, who informed them that Tony's cell phone was forgotten in his desk at NCIS, his car was abandoned on Ziva's street, and he nowhere to be found. Sitting on her couch, her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on top of them, Ziva tried to think of a place where Tony could have gone.

"Do you want a cup of coffee?" Abby interrupted her thoughts, kneeling in front of Ziva and touching her arm. Ziva nodded her head in agreement.

"It should be ready in few minutes, and then we can talk, right?"Abby continued, and Ziva nodded her head again."Ok, I'll back in few." standing up from the floor, Abby sighed while she headed for the kitchen. 'This will be a long night,' she thought.

McGee didn't have much better luck than Abby. Even if he had wanted to go back to sleep, he couldn't because an unexpected visitor showed up on his doorstep.

"Tony, what are you doing here?Where have you been?"McGee exclaimed.

"Tim..." it was the only thing Tony could manage to say, in barely above a whisper. McGee gestured for him to come inside. His partner was mess. Drunk, bloodshot eyes from crying, McGee hadn't seen him like this for years.

"I messed up for good this time Probie. I messed up for good this time,"Tony said, sobbing and burying his face on his hands.

McGee was wrong. He had never seen Tony like even during the summer that Ziva was declared dead. He was a wreck.

"Hey, man, calm down. Tell me what happened. Why did you fight with Ziva? You know, everybody is looking for you. Me, Boss. Ziva almost went insane the way you left her had been trying to reach you."

"You talked to her?"Tony asked in disbelief.

"No, Abby has. She is at Ziva's at the moment. Do you want something to drink so we can talk?"

After McGee brought some coffee, Tony told him about what had happened. Adam's phone call, the fight in the squad room and what happened to Ziva's house, how he ended up at McGee's house, abandoning his car at Ziva's place and wandering around the streets, crying, until he found a cab and came.

"She will never forgive me, Probie, never."Tony sobbed.

"I think you should talk to her," McGee argued."But I mean real talk, you know? The 'post elevator us,' remember? Where there are no lies, no secrets. Just honesty and truth," he continued. "I mean, why would she come back to D.C. if she missed Adam? She would have stayed in Israel with him instead of coming back. There must be something else."

"I don't know, Probie, I don't know. And I don't think she will ever talk to me again, much less to make an honest conversation," Tony replied.

"She will, but I think you shouldn't worry so much about your relationship with Ziva right now. Right now, I think you should be worried about how you will face Boss tomorrow,"McGee observed.

'Shit!' Tony thought. Gibbs was going to be furious with his behavior. He was going to head-slap him until the Apocalypse.

"But you can't do anything about that. What's done is done,"McGee went on.

"I better get going, Probie. See you tomorrow at work," Tony said.

"Hey, Tony. You can stay here tonight and I can drive you home and to work tomorrow,"McGee offered.

"Thanks, Probie, but..."

McGee cut him off, "I insist, I have no problem doing it."

"Thanks, Tim."

"Anytime, man"

"Yes, I'll tell her, McGee,"Abby said on the phone, heading towards the living room after making one more cup of coffee."Don't worry, I'll tell Ziva to calm down." Ziva shot her eyes wide to Abby, hearing her name.

"Ok, McGee, see you tomorrow. Bye." she ended the call and turned to Ziva."That was McGee," Abby told Ziva. "Tony is there, so stop worrying."

"I need to talk to him..." Ziva said. She tried to stand up from the couch, but Abby stopped her.

"No you are in no condition to have a serious talk, especially with him. Tomorrow you can, when he will be sober, ok?"

"You are right," Ziva sighed, raking her hair with her hand.

"So, will you tell me what happened today?"Abby asked "because it's the day's big question," she went on, smiling lightly.

Ziva took a deep breath."I received a phone call from a friend, and Tony misunderstood what I said."Abby raised an eyebrow."It was from Adam," Ziva continued calmly."Abby, it's not what you think. We are just friends."

"With benefits,"Abby fired back."You know how sleeping with Adam hurt Tony! It was like a stab right into his heart! Even if it didn't mean anything to you, even if you and Tony were just partners, because deep down he loved you back then. He's always loved you," she concluded.

Yes, that was true. Tony had loved Ziva since the day he had met her. But back then, he had been an immature womanizer trying to protect his heart from real love because of Wendy's betrayal one day before their wedding. He had tried on one-night stands and flings. Even with Jeanne. Yes, he had loved her but he could live without her. But without Ziva, he couldn't. And the summer that Ziva was declared dead, he was dead too. And those past two years he had been living a true Hell, even if he had tried to move on with Amanda and useless dates and one-night stands.

On the other hand, Ziva had her own internal she tell the truth about what had happened the night of her father's funeral, or should she stick to what she had said two years ago? If she told the truth, would they believe her or not? And if they did,would they understand the reason she'd had for lying?This was not going anywhere. She had to get it off her , maybe her secret was known to more than one, but only to Adam and his now fiancé Angelina. She couldn't take it anymore. This secret waseating her from the inside like a cancer.

"It's not what you think…" Ziva repeated, sighing.

"Oh, really? Then what is it, Ziva?" Abby asked with a raised voice. "What is it if it isn't what I think, what Tony thinks!? Because, frankly, I don't understand."

"Abby, I need to tell you something. But you have to promise you won't tell anyone else. Please," Ziva begged.

"Ziva, what's going on?" Abby asked with worry."Ziva, I promise I won't tell anyone. Please tell me what's going on. I'm starting to worry"

Taking a deep breath Ziva, blurted out her big secret, burying her face in her hands.''Abby, I've never slept with Adam."

* * *

**Tell me what you think**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Familiar Faces are back!**

**First of all, I'd like to thank all of you that followed reviewed and favorited the story. It means a lot. You give me the courage to continue, to keep the TIVA fandom alive in our hearts**

**Secondly, I'd like to congratulate Cote De Pablo for the Dovekeepers as I am one of her "noisy" fans. She was a-m-a-z-i-n-g on Monday! As for Tuesday's episode and Weatherly's statements about TIVA I wanted to make some comments but then I realized that both subjects are not worth of commenting on the Author's Note of this particular story**

**Anyway, back to the story**

**I know that many of you believe that something might happen in Paris. I want to clarify that I'm on the other side with those who believe that nothing happened. However, whatever I write about this topic on this story it would be based on a Tweet from the writer of this particular episode.**

**Specials thanks **

**To : Tereza who is my personal consultant on this story**

**To: Laitie my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…Say hi to your mom for me**

**By the way: I do not own NCIS…If I had, TIVA would have happened years ago and that mess that GG created wouldn't have existed**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces….Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

The next day came and McGee, as he promised, drove Tony to his apartment so he could change. They then headed for work together.

"Damn!" McGee cursed "I forgot my cellphone on the car. Go Tony, and I'll be there in a few." he motioned for Tony to head toward the entrance of NCIS building.

Tony was in such a hurry to reach the elevator that he bumped into a woman when he made it there.

"I'm sor- Ziva?" Tony asked surprised as the woman turned her head.

"Tony..." Ziva said. The way she said his name was like a magic spell, and her eyes always hypnotized him. Ziva felt it, too, looking into the depth of those green-hazel eyes. She felt like she was back in time two years ago, when they were dancing in Berlin when there was no mission, no Bodnar, no one else in the dance floor,only them.

The 'ding' of the elevator made them jump and brought them back to reality. They stepped inside along with one more Agent who stepped out on the first floor, leaving them alone again. That was when Tony took the chance and flipped the switch off and the elevator came to halt. Turning at the same time to face each other, they both said in unison, "Ziva, I..."

"Tony I..."

They both laughed at their timing.

"You go first," Tony said, flashing a Dinozzo grin.

"It's ok, you go first, Tony," Ziva reassured him.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I mean, the incidents at the office and your house.I mean,I have no right to judge your choices or the men you want to see.I mean, it's your life. I'm just sorry, again."

Ziva tried to process his speech, and before she answered, she remained silent, something that made Tony nervous.

'Danm you, Dinozzo, she's not going to forgive you. You're so screwed,' Tony thought.

When Ziva finally had courage to talk, she answered, "First of all, Adam and I are just friends. And…and what happened in the past stayed there..." Tony frowned at this statement. Ziva bit her lip because she knew the reason. Paris. They never discussed it. No-one had the courage to start that conversation. It was like an unspoken agreement that what had happened in Paris, stayed in Paris. Something similar with Las Vegas, to be exact. But that day, Ziva understood that this was a sensitive subject for both of them. She just tried to pass her own comment as insignificant and continued "And secondly, apology accepted."

"Wait, what, just like that?" Tony was confused. The old Ziva would have kicked his ass about yesterday's events, and the new one forgave him just like that?

'There must be a catch, it can't be...' Tony thought

"Tony,remember what I told you the day I came back to NCIS? That apologizing for something to someone takes a lot of courage? You mean your apology and you needed a lot of courage today to apologize and I appreciate it. That's why I accept your apology. But with one condition," she clarified.

'Ha there is the catch,' Tony said mentally.

"And that is?" he asked curiously,and made a step towards Ziva, chuckling.

Ziva's eyes filled with sadness and her Mona Lisa smile faded from her face. "Don't drink again," she said with a voice full of hurt.

Tony's face turned to serious watching Ziva's sadness. He understood that drinking not only hurt himself, but also the people around him. Well, the second part he saw it yesterday night in Ziva's house.

"I won't, I promise," Tony answered without hesitation.

Ziva smiled at him again and Tony flipped the switch on and the elevator started moving onto the MCRT floor. When they arrived at their floor and stepped out of the elevator, all the Agents stared at them like they had seen a ghost. Approaching the place where their desks were, Tony and Ziva observed that McGee and Bishop were already there, but Gibbs was nowhere to be found.

"Tony where have y-" McGee stopped dead in his tracks watching both Ziva and Tony entering the bullpen together. Bishop was so surprised that she choked on the cracker she was eating as her jaws opened wide.

"Good morning Tim, Ellie..." Ziva said, smiling, as she headed for her desk

"Morning." it was the only the two Agents mumbled, with their eyes wide open following Ziva, not believing what they'd just witnessed.

The time flew by and Gibbs came to the bullpen, confronting Tony in the elevator for his behavior the day before. Lunch break came and Ziva's phone on her desk rang.

"David."

"_It's Abby! Get your ass down here NOW!_" Abby screamed, and before Ziva managed to answer, the dial tone on her phone was heard. Ziva did as she was told and headed down to Abby's lab to face a very angry, Goth scientist.

"What the hell was that yesterday, Ziva?" Abby yelled.

"Abby..." Ziva tried to explain, but she failed.

"Don't Abby' me! DON'T. 'ABBY.' ME!"Abby shouted, furious, with emphasis at Ziva.

"You came back after two years of absence without contacting us all this time, and I forgive you, and then you drop three nuclear bombshells on my head in one night and expect me to forgive you so easily?" Abby asked, frustrated, walking up and down the lab. "You'reeeeeee sooooooo wronggggggg girllllllll..." she drew out each word pointing her finger at Ziva. "Do you know that I couldn't sleep at all last night?"

Ziva felt the same way she felt years ago when she came back from Somalia. Abby was mad at her for her behavior towards Tony about Rivkin's death and her stay in Israel. Abby was right for shouting at her back then, as well as now.

"Plus," Abby continued, "How am I supposed to face Tony after those revelations? How can I look at him in the eyes again after what you told me about you and Adam?" Abby shouted "Tony is like a brother to me. How can I keep that secret from him, Ziva, knowing the truth that you and Adam haven't…" she trailed off

"You're right Abby I'm sor-" but Abby cut her in

"I don't want you to say you're sorry. Saying you're sorry doesn't make things easier. Although I understand your intentions for wanting to push Tony away, you lied to him, Ziva, and with your lies you turned a man who was 100 percent rock to a wreck and apologizing doesn't fix things," the Goth scientist hissed. "You could have found another excuse to keep Tony away from you and protect him without hurting his feelings the way you have."

Ziva lowered her eyes on the ground in shame.

"And you didn't trust me Ziva," Abby continued with hurt and sat on a chair. "You're like a sister to me and you didn't trust me with Paris or with Ray."

"You are right, but about Paris...I haven't even discussed it with Tony. It is taboo for us, that night...and…we just haven't discussed it," Ziva defended herself.

"Really?" Abby asked in disbelief.

Ziva nodded.

"Well, I might forgive you for everything," Abby looked at Ziva devilishly, "if you answer one more question," Abby continued. Ziva was anxious to see what the question was that had to be answered for her to be forgiven.

"How...was it? You…and…Tony…in Paris…you know what I mean," Abby asked with a smirk, and Ziva blushed chuckling. "I think that answers my question why you and Ray never..." Abby trailed off, smiling.

"Yes," Ziva reassured with hesitation. "It was a factor, but also," Ziva continued and sat on the chair next to Abby,"the way Ray treated me, you remember right?, didn't inspire confidence, safety."

"But you were going to marry him." Abby argued.

"Only because Tony couldn't provide me that. And back then, I really wanted something permanent. Plus, I was scared. Gibbs and rule #12 made the circumstances worse. I thought if had happened something between me and Tony it would have ruined our friendship. That's why I turned to Ray and accepted his proposal, even if I knew he wasn't the one for me. So I kept telling myself that I had feelings for him, but as much as I tried to convince myself for that I failed…I liked him only as a friend, nothing more," Ziva revealed. "Because I was in love with Tony," she continued. "And then, with all the mess that happened with the Burrows case, truth be told, I felt sort of...relieved...because if it hadn't happened, I would have run away from the wedding the last minute."

"Abby, Tony is…" Ziva trailed off sighing. "I fell in love with that goofy playboy from the first moment I laid eyes on him," she went on with a smirk.

Abby smiled at her friend's confession before her face turned back to seriousness and asked, "So, will you tell Tony the truth? About you and Adam, I mean," the Goth scientist clarified.

Ziva's face dropped. "No, no I won't tell him. I can't," she answered sternly.

"So will you let him believe something that it isn't true?" Abby asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Look, Abby, I love Tony I want a fresh start with him, but if anything happens between us, if he really loves me, he will accept me to be in his life like I am with my faults and my mistakes like I have with him. Well, besides the drinking," Ziva noted, rolling her eyes. "Not because I haven't slept with Adam," she explained.

"Tony loves you, Ziva! If he didn't, he wouldn't have gone to Somalia to avenge your death. He wouldn't have gone to Israel to find you and bring you back. He doesn't care if you slept with Adam or not. He's forgiven you Ziva; he's forgiven you for Adam. Tony just wants a life with you at his side," Abby said "The least you can do is tell him the truth. He deserves it!" she went on trying to persuade Ziva.

"I know." it was the only thing that Ziva said quietly.

"But you are not going to do it," Abby said, more as a statement than a question.

Ziva shook her head, and the Goth scientist sighed.

Ziva also discussed with Abby the conversation between her and Tony in the elevator until the lunch break finished.

* * *

#6452, #6453, #6454,#6455…Ha! There it is!" Tony exclaimed, pointing at the top of the shelf "Case #6455!" Tony went on grinning. "Armed robbery 3/28/2006. Two sailors dead."

"We will need a stair for this, and a very high one," Ziva informed him.

"Ladder, Ziva," Tony corrected her. "Laaaaddeeeeer."

"Whatever, same difference," she said back, rolling her eyes.

"Wait, I thought saw one somewhere," Tony said and made his way toward the entrance of the storage unit. It didn't take long for Tony to come back with the ladder.

"You or me?" Tony asked while he was placing the ladder on the shelf.

"I'll go," Ziva answered and climbed it. "However, I think McGee is wrong," Ziva went on while she was dragging the box out of the shelf,

"So do I" Tony agreed, supporting the ladder so Ziva wouldn't lose her balance. "I mean, this theory that there must be a connection between those cases doesn't stand. We caught the bad guy back then," he went on and raised his head to look at Ziva.

"God, it's too heavy!" Ziva said, groaning,and tried to give Tony the box.

"Ziva look out!"Tony shouted when Ziva lost her balance and slipped of the ladder. Tony let the box to fall on the floor and caught Ziva the last moment before she fell. Holding her in his arms, bridal style, their faces a few inches apart,they looked deep into each others eyes like they had years ago when they had taken part in that War Game.

"Are you alright?" Tony asked her with worry.

"Yes I am. Thank you, Tony," Ziva said to Tony, her voice trembling, not taking her eyes from his.

"You're welcome," he said back in the same,awkward tone.

There was a brief silence in the room which interrupted by Tony's cell.

"Tony?" Ziva asked, her eyes still locked on his.

"Yeah?" Tony answered, completely hypnotized from Ziva's look.

"Your phone is ringing," Ziva said and Tony didn't move at all. He kept looking deep into Ziva's eyes.

"Tony?" Ziva repeated and Tony was staring at her, completely hypnotized.

"Put me down," she said and Tony looked at her curiously with a 'why' look. "Put me down so you can answer your phone" Ziva clarified.

"Oh," Tony mumbled and lowered Ziva down on the floor, losing immediately the warmth of her body.

"Dinozzo...Yes, McHurry, we found it and we are on our way," Tony answered the phone, not taking his eyes from Ziva's. "That was McGee," he said after he ended the call. "We better get going," he continued and took the box in his hands.

"We should," Ziva said back awkwardly and both of them made their way to the exit of the storage unit.

The rest of day contained mainly paperwork until Gibbs sent them home. Everybody had finished except Tony, who had a few more minutes to work.

"Are you going to be late, Tony?"McGee asked.

"No, Probie. In few minutes we can go," Tony answered.

"Actually," Ziva interrupted, standing up from her desk and approaching Tony's, "I was thinking I would drive you." That caught both McGee's and Tony's attention. "Sin...since your car is...outside…my place..." she continued.

McGee, watching the exchange of looks between Tony and Ziva, felt like an intruder. It was like the day that Ziva came to NCIS to visit Vance after her rescue from Somalia. The same look, the same awkwardness.

"I better get going, then. Goodnight," McGee said. No answer. Just a pair of green-hazel eyes locked on a pair of brown ones. McGee, seeing that no one answered him, headed for the elevator, grinning. 'Maybe there is still a chance for those two,' he thought.

"I'm finished," Tony said not taking his eyes from hers while he was turning off his computer. "Lead the way Ms. David." he gestured for Ziva to move first, grinning.

"Thank you…Mr. Dinozzo" Ziva said back, smiling and both headed for the elevator.

* * *

**Let me know what think**

* * *

**P.S. I'd like to dedicate a part of this story to my friend Ioanna who died on a car crash in December. She was the closest thing I had to a sister…R.I.P my friend you will be always in my heart…**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Familiar Faces are back!**

**I wanted to comment Weatherly's new statements this time for Cote De Pablo but what I feel about this show which is called NCIS and its cast during those two seasons is not appropriate to be mentioned in public. The only thing I want to say is congratulations again to Cote De Pablo for the Dovekeepers. I wish that book would had been published in Greek so I would have read it before the show begins but unfortunately it hasn't so I have to wait to watch the show.**

**Anyway, back to the story**

**Specials thanks **

**To : Tereza who is my personal consulter on this story**

**To: Laitie my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always….**

**And of course all of you that followed reviewed and favorited**

**I do not own NCIS…If I had, things wouldn't have turned out the way they have**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

The ride to Ziva's place went in silence. Ziva's driving was nervous but slow, mostly because Tony sat beside her. Tony felt so awkward that he didn't even comment on Ziva's choice of the red Mini car. When they arrived to their destination, Ziva was the first who spoke after she turned the car engine off.

"So...Here we are" she said nervously.

"Yeah...Thanks for the ride...Goodnight, Ziva" Tony said, stepping out of the car.

Ziva did the same, and when Tony headed for his car, she said "Tony..."

Tony turned his head to face her. "Yeah?"

"Would you...Would you like to come inside for a drink?" Ziva asked hesitantly.

Tony flashed her a grin."I promised you I wouldn't drink again."

Ziva rolled her eyes. "You know what I meant, Tony. 'Don't drink a lot.' A glass of wine is not that bad" she replied with a light smile.

"I know what you meant, but not tonight, Ziva. Some other time" Tony answered back.

"Promise?" she asked hopefully.

"Promise. Goodnight, Ziva" he said, smiling lightly.

"Goodnight, Tony" Ziva said back, a little disappointed.

Tony got into his car and left, while Ziva was stood there, watching him leave. 'One step at a time, Ziva. One step at a time,' she thought as she headed towards her house.

When Tony entered his apartment, he dropped his backpack next to his door and headed towards his fishbowl.

"Hey, girls, did you miss Daddy?" he said while he dropped fish food into the bowl. "I don't know what to do girls. When I'm close to her I lose control. I want her so much, so bad, but I'm scared" he revealed. "Any suggestions? Especially you, Zi?" Tony asked, waiting for an answer. 'God, I'm losing my mind' he thought, and rubbed his face with his hand.

The next day came quickly, and the next day and the next day. Things on the team came back almost to normal. The cooperation between Tony and Ziva was in harmony. Teasing came back, but without crossing the line. Trust and friendship were rebuilt between them. But still, both of them wanted something more, neither of them had the courage to make the first step. Especially Ziva.

In the Navyard, the bets on them came back. If they would become a couple or not, and if so, when it would be. The days flew by. Two months after the fight, Bishop was the one who bet that they would be together soon, and, once again, she hadn't been mistaken, considering that she had won the bet she had with McGee for Ziva's return.

"Good morning,"McGee said as he made his way to his desk.

"Morninggggggg," Bishop said quickly as she gathered her stuff from her desk.

"Where are you going? Are you transferred on another department or something?" McGee asked curiously.

"Transfer yessssss, other department or team nooooo" Bishop clarified playfully. McGee raised an eyebrow as he sat at his desk. "Soon, Ziva will want her old desk back, and I will have to start packing, so I won't need to do it last minute. I'll move in next to you," she answered with a chuckle.

"You don't know that, Ellie" McGee said.

"Oh, come onnnnn, Timmyyyyyy! Are you blind or something? Abby says that they both are acting like it's the good old days."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that Ziva will ask for her old desk back" McGee argued.

"Trust me, she will. And I'm more than willing to give it to her."

McGee was about to answer when a female giggling and a loud male laugh were heard from the elevators. It was Tony and Ziva.

"See what I meannnnnn?" Bishop pointed, smiling.

* * *

The day was boring. Just paperwork and it being Friday made the day more unbearable. It was almost lunch time when everybody was missing from the squad room. Gibbs was in Vance's office, Tony was in MTAC on video call with the Rota team for a cold case and McGee and Bishop were in Abby's lab processing the case's evidence from the beginning again. Ziva stayed at her desk, processing the suspects list and their alibis. That was when her phone rang.

"David."

_"Hey Zivi_" a female voice said with a German accent.

"Angelina!" Ziva exclaimed.

_"Zivi I'm very mad at you. The last time we heard from you was about how long? 2 months ago? And that was because Adam called to announce our engagement. You totally forgot about us"_ Angelina said, pretending to be angry.

"I'm sorry, Angie. I wish I could contact you more often, but you know how my work is. And I'm still trying to adjust the whole situation at work" Ziva defended herself.

_"Ya, ya, ya,_" Angelina said playfully in German. _"However, if you had the chance, would you be happy to see me?"_ she went on, and at that the exact moment a 'ding' announced the arrival of the elevator.

"Of course I would, you know that well" Ziva answered without hesitation.

"Then surprise, Zivi !" a woman cheered, but this time she wasn't saying it through her phone, but from the squad room. Not believing her own ears, Ziva turned her head. There stood a young woman smiling, Ellie's age, with a NCIS Visitors badge on her shirt. She had long blond hair, blue eyes and the same height as Ziva.

"OH. MY. GOD!" Ziva exclaimed. She threw herself at the woman and hugged her tight. "What are doing here?" Ziva asked as she pulled away from her friend and looked at her face.

"Well, Dad had some business at the Embassy, and I took the advantage of visiting my friend since she doesn't come to see us" the blond woman said with complaint.

As Ziva was ready to protest, Tony made his appearance, coming down the stairs from MTAC.

"Hey," Tony said to Ziva with the bright Dinozzo grin and Ziva smiled back at him.

"Tony, let me introduce you Angelina Vonberg. She's my friend. Angelina, this Tony Dinozzo, my partner." Both Angelina and Tony extended their hands and shook them.

After the introductions between Angelina and the other members of the team were done, both women went to the café shop across the street to drink coffee. They talked about the preparations for the wedding, Adam's proposal, their life in Berlin, Adam's sudden trip to Israel few days ago for Shin Bet and, of course, Ziva's return to D.C. and NCIS, something that led the discussion of Tony.

"So,"Angelina started, smiling. "That was Tony." Ziva nodded.

"Now do you understand why Adam insists so much that you tell Tony the truth?" Ziva's friend continued.

"Angie," Ziva started but the young woman cut her off.

"Ziva, listen. I understood your intentions for lying to Tony, but you must be blind so that you can't see that this man loves you. He stands next to you and his heart is melting, not to mention about yours" she went on with a smirk. "It's time for you to tell Tony the truth."

"We've just rebuilt the trust and friendship between us and..." Ziva trailed off.

"You're scared," Angelina continued. "You're scared of how he will react."

Ziva nodded, sighing. Holding the cup of tea with both her hands, she observed it like she had never seen a cup before. "I just want a fresh start with him" she confessed quietly.

"Then tell him the truth" the blond woman suggested.

"No, I can't," Ziva declared firmly.

"Yes, you can, but you don't want to. This is your chance, Zivi" the woman encouraged. "It's worth the risk. In true love, it's worth the risk. You told me that, remember? Why just not follow your own advice? Remember how Adam reacted…." but Ziva cut Angelina off.

"Tony isn't Adam, and your situation wasn't as complicated as ours" she explained.

"Ziva."

"No, Angelina, you don't understand. I lied to him. And what if what I tell him about me and Adam? What if it's not the reason that's keeping us apart? What if he's afraid of the commitment with me? What if he's afraid that I might abandon him again?" Ziva argued.

"What if? What if? What if? What if? If you don't do anything, you will keep wondering for all your life. Wow, Zivi I don't recognize you. I thought I was the immature and the irresponsible in the gang! I guess I was wrong," Angelina said sarcastically and crossed her arms in front of her chest, leaning on her chair before turned her tone to serious. "The reason I'm asking you to tell the truth isn't about Tony's forgiveness. This is about your honesty towards him; towards yourself." she explained. "And I don't think he's afraid of you abandoning him again. He knows that you came back to stay for good this time. And he definitely isn't afraid of the commitment with you. If he was, he wouldn't have crossed the oceans for you. Open your eyes, Ziva. Tony loves you!"

"I don't know, Angie. I don't know…" Ziva said, sighing. "I just…I just don't want to risk what we have now,even if it means just being friends and partners. It's enough for me," she went on.

"It's enough for you? Is it enough for you to be with Tony as just partners and friends, sacrificing the only love of your life? Your soulmate?" Angelina asked in disbelief.

Ziva didn't answer. Instead, she looked at her cup again.

Angelina shook her head in disapproval. This woman in front of her wasn't Ziva, the woman she met years ago.

"I see," the blond woman said, sighing. "Ziva David, the fearless Ex-Mossad Officer who can face terrorists, murderers and any kind of scum on the earth is a coward when it comes to her feelings for the man she loves" she went on sadly.

Ziva didn't protest her friend's words, because Angelina was right. She was a coward. When it came to Tony, she had always been a coward. She just lowered her head in shame, pretending that she didn't hear her friend's comment, and kept drinking her tea.

A few minutes later, Ziva's, lunch break was over. Both women said their goodbyes, and Angelina asked Ziva to attend her wedding with Adam, along with Tony. Ziva sighed at the thought of it as she headed back to the Navyard. It meant that she had to reveal the truth about her and Adam to him, and she was scared about his reaction and the impact on their relationship. If Ziva only knew that her friend had other plans.

"Shalom, Angelina," Adam greeted his fiancé as he woke up.

"Adam, my teddy bear." Angelina said playfully on the phone.

"Ok, Angelina what happened?" Adam asked with a raised eyebrow, staring at the ceiling. "Because every time you call me like this, either you want something from me or you are in trouble. What is it this time?" Adam heard his fiancé's request and laughed on the phone "I knew your trip to D.C. didn't include just paying a visit to Ziva" Adam said smirking. He rubbed his face with his hand as he tried to assess his surroundings, still a little groggy.

Angelina just chuckled as she extended her hand to find a cab. Yeah, her fiancé knew her too well.

The rest of day was paperwork again, along with the cold case they were working on. However, Ziva's mind was elsewhere. It was on the discussion between her and Angelina. Her friend's words were replaying over and over again in her mind. '_I understood your intentions for lying to Tony, but you must be blind so that you can't see that this man loves you'…'It's time for you to tell Tony the truth'_…_'This is your chance, Zivi'…'In true love, it's worth the risk'…'Tony isn't afraid of the commitment with you. If he was, he wouldn't have crossed the oceans for you. Open your eyes, Ziva. Tony loves you!'…'It's enough for you? Is it enough for you to be with Tony as just partners and friends, sacrificing the only love of your life? Your soulmate?'_

"Ziva!" Gibbs shouted in front of her. She jumped. "I'm talking to you, and you don't listen to me, Ziva. The file from the second murder in Rota," he went on.

"Yes, just…."Ziva trailed off, searching her desk for the file.

"Ziva," Gibbs repeated sighing and Ziva turned back to him. "I've got the file. You asked me to give it to you," he continued extending the file in front of her.

"Oh, you're right. Thank you," Ziva replied simply, taking the file from Gibbs' hand and starting to study it.

Gibbs made his way back to his desk, not taking his eyes off of Ziva. He knew that something was bugging her, but he didn't want to push her. She could discuss it with him at anytime if she wanted.

The time became 7:30 p.m. and, because it was Friday, Gibbs called it day.

"Hey, Tony, Ziva, are you in for drinks or not?" Bishop asked them in the parking lot.

"Sorry, Ellie, but I really miss my bed. I want to get some sleep, I feel exhausted" Tony said.

"What about you, Ziva?" Bishop asked.

"No, I'm tired too. I'd rather go home and read a book or work on the case. Besides, ZNN said that it's going to rain, and I'd like to be at home when it does." Ziva answered

"Ok, goodnight. Have a nice weekend," Ellie said and stepped away from the pair.

"Goodnight, Ellie" both Tony and Ziva replied in unison.

"Are you not going out with your friend, Zivi?" Tony asked playfully, using Angelina's nickname for his partner.

Ziva rolled her eyes. "No, Tony, it was a short visit. Angelina's flight leaves at 23:00, but she has some business to take care of."

"Oh." It was the only thing that Tony mumbled.

"Goodnight, Tony. See you on Monday." she said and headed for her car.

"Goodnight, Ziva, my love." he said just above a whisper, but Ziva was well out earshot to hear it.

* * *

Tony sighed as he headed for his apartment. One more weekend alone, along with movies and pizza. He hated that. He wanted something else. Something more important. He wanted Ziva. Stepping out his car with two boxes of pizza in his hand, a familiar voice dragged him from his thoughts.

"Agent Dinozzo." Turning his head, he faced the woman.

"Angelina?" Tony asked, surprised.

"Can we talk? Somewhere in private? I need to tell you some important things about Ziva" Angelina told him.

Tony led Angelina to his apartment offered her coffee and pizza and sat with her to discuss things.

"First of all, you can call me Tony," he said, flashing her a Dinozzo grin.

"Tony," Angelina addressed him, smiling. "there are some things you have to know about Ziva," she went on, her tone turning serious.

"What kinds of things?"Tony asked with worry.

"What did Ziva tell you about me, Tony?" the woman asked curiously.

Tony shrugged. Taking a sip of his coffee, he answered "That you are her friend and engaged to one of her dearest friends...why?" he asked, confused.

"Did she tell you the name of my fiancé?" the young woman continued. Tony shook his head

"His name is Adam Eschel," Angelina blurted out without warning and Tony choked on his coffee. "Oh, my God! Are you alright?" she asked with worry.

Tony couldn't recover from the shock. "You...Adam." he pointed at her. "Adam and you…"

Angelina burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" Tony asked, a little angry and confused.

"Because." she couldn't stop laughing."Adam was right. 'Tony's face will be like has seen a ghost, when you will tell him who you are' " the woman said, mimicking Adam before she laughed again.

"I don't understand." Tony said.

"That's why I'm here. To make you understand the whole situation between my fiancé and Ziva. And I have the right way."

Tony didn't say anything.

"I'll make you understand through a story which took place few years ago in Israel. Are you interested to listen?" Angelina asked with a smile.

"I'm all ears." It was the only thing Tony said.

* * *

**Let me know what you think**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note **

**This chapter is dedicated on the TIVA Nation all over the World and of course all of you that followed reviewed and favorite that story**

**Specials thanks **

**To : Tereza who is my personal consulter on this story**

**To: Laitie my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always….**

**I do not own NCIS…If I had, things would have turned out the way I've written them on that chapter**

**Athena**

* * *

_**Tel Aviv, January 2013**_

_Sitting on the bar with an Israeli newspaper, with Eli's photo and the headline, in Hebrew, "The Farewell of a Hero" in front of her, Ziva drank alone until she felt a familiar presence beside her._

_"What are you doing here, Adam?" she asked, a little angry. There was a glass of scotch in her hand._

_"The question is what are you doing here?" Adam fired back with the same tone._

_Ziva took the newspaper and folded it. Giving it to the man, she slapped him lightly on the chest. "Drinking to the memory of a hero," Ziva said, smiling sarcastically as she drank a sip of scotch. Adam unfolded the newspaper to read the headline._

_"Ziva, come on, stop, "Adam said with a serious tone in his voice and tried to take the glass from her hand._

_"No," it was the only that Ziva said, trying to stop Adam from taking it. "I want to drink to the memory of Eli David, the Director of Mossad, who was a bastard to his family, just to become a hero to his country." Ziva said bitterly, raising the glass "But, you know what the funny thing is?" she continued. "Even with everything he did to me, to Ari, to my family, I still loved him. And I want revenge for his death." her voice cracked. "And I will do it." she turned serious, taking a sip of the scotch._

_"Ok, that's it, I'm taking you home" Adam said grabbing the glass from her hand. When Adam tried to grab Ziva's wrist to help her stand up from the stool, she threw herself into him and kissed him. When she broke the kiss and understood what she had just done, Ziva buried her face to her hands with shame._

_"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry, Adam."Ziva said embarrassed. "For a moment, I thought you were…" she trailed off and collapsed. Adam grabbed her just before she fell on the floor._

_"Oh, Zivaleh, you have been giving me troubles since I've met you."Adam said, sighing, as he held her bridal-style and carried her to his car._

_"What happened?" Angelina asked, confused, seeing an unconscious Ziva snoring loudly in her boyfriend's arms after Adam had opened the front door of his house._

_"Don't ask. Don't ask more, please." Adam said desperately, heading, with Ziva, into the living room._

_Placing her on the sofa, Adam turned his attention to Angelina and sighed."She was so drunk that she threw herself into me and kissed me."_

_Angelina burst out laughing._

"_What are you laughing at? This isn't a joke! Look at her!" Adam exclaimed, angrily pointing in Ziva's direction._

_"I am just trying to imagine yours and Ziva's faces afterwards, that's all." she said, laughing lightly, before turning her attention to Ziva._

"_Tony, my love." Ziva mumbled, smiling during her sleep. Both Adam and Angelina rolled their eyes._

"_What am I going to do with you, Zivaleh?" Adam said, sighing and collapsed into the armchair across from Ziva._

"_You will let her sleep for now, so she can dream of her loveeee." Angelina answered, playfully glancing back at Ziva. Adam rolled his eyes._

_"Women. Ok, let's leave her alone then." Adam said and stood up. But as he was about to leave, Ziva woke up and grabbed Adam's wrist._

_"Adam, do you remember when we were kids and Ari had the accident with the motorcycle?" Ziva asked as tears pooled in her eyes._

_"Yes, Zivaleh. He was in coma for two months. Doctors said that it was a miracle that he woke up." Adam replied, going back to his memory bank._

_"You held me all night in your arms and let me cry, until I fell asleep." she said with a cracked voice._

"_Come here." Adam said and took her into his arms while sobs filled the room. Angelina, after swallowing a lump to her throat, sat next to Ziva and started combing Ziva's hair softly. They stayed like that until Ziva fell asleep._

_**End of flashback**_

"The next day, Ziva was so embarrassed that she wanted Earth to open up and swallow her." Angelina said with a smirk. Standing up from Tony's couch and holding the cup of coffee on her hands, she headed towards Tony's movie collection. "Few months later," she continued as she lightly touched the titles of Tony's movies with her fingerprints, "Adam received a phone call from Ziva that her father's murderer was in Berlin and that she was coming with her partner,you. She wanted Adam to gather intel about him. Ilan Bodnar, I think, was his name."

Tony observed the woman, but during the whole story, he didn't say anything. Turning her head to him, Angelina went on. "Few days after Berlin, we had a video call with Ziva. She was acting like a maniac that someone was making an investigation about her and her boss. She told us that this guy who made the investigation asked her if she had slept with Adam that night after her father's funeral. Apparently, someone was stalking her and saw the whole incident at the bar with him and the fact that he brought her to his house. Obviously, they didn't know of my presence there, so they assumed that….Adam and Ziva, you know..." the woman trailed off. "Anyway, Ziva told us that she didn't admit that accusation, but she didn't deny it, either, on him. However, she knew it was her chance."

"Her chance for what?" Tony asked curiously. It was the first time he spoke during this whole time.

"To push you away by lying to you."Angelina clarified.

"Why?" Tony asked with hurt in his voice.

"To protect you, or that's what she had told us. Ziva told us about the car accident after you came back from Berlin, and how much she was scared for your life. She thought it was her fault you got hurt. She was afraid that you had become a target for Bodnar's people. That you would end up dead because she loved you. Plus, she was confused. Her father's death and what happened with the investigation on the team made her a total mess. I understood her.I did the same with Adam, to push him away, I mean." she clarified.

Tony raised an eyebrow at Angelina's statement. "Being a daughter of a high-level German Government employee and in love with an Israeli spy it's not the perfect combination, is it? Anyway long story..." she said with a chuckle, "At the beginning, Adam refused to take part in this…'play', telling her that she was nuts and threatening her that he would tell you the whole truth. However, Ziva convinced him that the right thing to do was to keep his mouth shut. She told him that she had already lied to you and that there was no way back. Adam is like brother to her and you know that Ziva is a maestro in manipulation when she wants to be, so he gave in, eventually." the woman confessed.

"After that,"Angelina continued, returning to the couch, "Adam went for business in Israel for his agency. That was when you contacted with him to find Ziva. He didn't even know that she was there. When you told him that you were going to Israel so you could find her, he was determined to tell you the truth, because Adam couldn't look at you in the eyes. Plus, he knew how much you loved her and how much she loved you back. However, I convinced him not to tell you the truth, because that was Ziva's wish, so when he met you, he pretended that whatever Ziva had said to you, really happened. That summer, I went in Israel, too. Shin Bet kept Adam busy, and I missed my man." she said with a smirk. "When you texted Adam in early October that you were going back to D.C. and Ziva stayed in Israel, chased by terrorists, we both went to the address that you sent him and he started shouting at her for not telling you the truth. But most important, for not following you. Ziva told us that she was the center of the pain and that all the people she loved had died because she was close to them. She was also a broken woman, calling herself 'damaged goods.' She was a woman who didn't deserve your love. She wanted you to be with a woman who could give you everything, to cherish you every single second and not cause you pain or troubles. And the only way for this to happen was for you to move on without her, even if it broke her own heart. That was when I realized my mistake, for sticking to Ziva's story, I mean." she clarified sadly.

"Adam wanted to tell you the truth even when Ziva had stayed in Israel, because he knew that there is no worse thing than a hurting man who is deeply in love with someone. But I told him that it was pointless. However, when Ziva decided to come back to D.C., we were determined that if she wouldn't tell you the truth, we would. And, so…here we are." Angelina concluded.

"I...I can't...I can't believe it...all of this..." Tony said, shocked by the revelations and rubbed his face. He was so confused, questions flooded his mind. All this time wasted. He started to wonder how many secrets Ziva kept from him. How many lies did she tell him all those years?

'_'Have you ever lied to someone you love, Ziva?''_

'_'Yes."_

"Listen." Tony raised his head as Angelina's voice brought him back to reality…"Adam had known Ziva all his life, since they were kids, and still he can't completely understand her. He still finds out things about her. So we can't understand what she was really thinking when she came up with this lie to you. As for the real reasons that Ziva did what she did, I don't know them. Maybe they were different from those I've told you, maybe not. I think that is a question you have to ask her. But I know one thing for sure, she loves you with all her heart." she said without hesitation. "Maybe that's why she came back to D.C. and NCIS when your boss asked her to become an Agent again. She wanted to be close to you, even as a partner or friend. She couldn't live with the thought of you getting hurt because of her, but she couldn't live without you either."

"I have to go..." she continued and stood up from the couch. "Goodnight, Tony. I wish you all the best." the young woman said and headed for the door.

"Angelina," Tony said and she turned her head to face him."Thank you." he went on and Angelina nodded with a light smile before closed the door behind her.

Turning his head, he noticed on his coffee table a piece of paper that Angelina left. Unfolding it, he was surprised to see Ziva's old "I WILL" list. Turning the piece of paper on the other side, he saw Ziva's new "I WILL" list, which contained only one item.

I WILL

_Always love Tony no matter what_

* * *

Ziva was standing by the window gazing at the cloudy sky. Coming back from work, she tried to read a book or work on the case, but she was unsuccessful. Her mind was constantly on the conversation between her and Angelina about Tony. The constant internal battle she had about telling Tony the truth or not tortured her. Yes, Abby understood her intentions partly, but Tony would have the same understanding, especially if he knew the whole truth about her stay in Israel?

The ring of the doorbell brought Ziva back to reality. After she wiped few tears from her eyes, she headed, confused, to open the door because she wasn't expecting anyone.

"Tony?" Ziva asked, happy and surprised after she opened the door.

"I know, Ziva." Tony said sternly and Ziva looked at him with a questioned look. "The truth about you…and Adam." he continued.

"Angelina." was the only thing that Ziva managed to say, sighing.

"Why?" Tony shouted. "Why did you lie? I try to understand but I can't!"

"To protect you, Tony." Itwas the only thing Ziva said.

"From what?" he demanded.

"From me." she said with cracking voice and she made her way to the living room.

"That's bullshit, Ziva. You know that! That isn't a reason to say this kind of lie!" he fired back at her, following her inside the house and closing the door behind him with force.

Ziva turned to face Tony with anger. "Bullshit, huh? Ok! Let's assume that I didn't want to protect you. Let's say I had told you the truth back then, when you asked me. Would you have believed me?"

Tony was taken aback by Ziva's question. Truth be told, after her father's death, Ziva had put her shields up again. When she had wanted to track Bodnar, she had turned to McGee, not him. And when they had found out where Bodnar was hiding, she went by herself to take him down without telling him anything. Those few months after her father's death, Tony had felt like he was back in time. When Ziva was framed for murder and she had shut him out completely without telling him the reason. He had felt like he was back in time, when she had been with Rivkin where secrecy and doubt had overshadowed their partnership and friendship. Ziva was right. He wouldn't have believed her back then, even if she had told him the truth. Why would he have trusted her, why would he have believed her, when she hadn't trusted him?

"That's what I thought," Ziva said when Tony didn't utter a word. "I told you what you already believed back then, and pushed you away at the same time. Two birds with one stone!" she said with nerve, and Tony's heart stung from her words.

"As for the reason I wanted to push away, I've already told you. I wanted to protect you. Because no one has any idea, YOU. HAVE. NO. IDEA how I felt every time you jeopardized your life for me! How I felt when I saw you in my apartment lying next to Michael!" Ziva cried.

Ziva, you put your gun on my-" but Ziva cut Tony off.

"That's because I loved you, danm it! Even back then, I was in love with you. And I was mad at you at how…how immature you were…with Michael…my father!" she yelled at him. "How immature you were, coming to Somalia when everyone thought I was dead!"

"They were my choices, Ziva!" Tony shouted.

"Your choices, but without thinking of the consequences! To you, to the team, to me!" she snapped back, hissing. "Do you know how I felt that night after we came back from Berlin? How I felt when I was ready to tell you that I loved you that I wouldn't give a damn about Gibbs and his stupid rules anymore just to be with you, and Ilan crashed into us with the car?"

Tony didn't say anything.

"Do you know…"Ziva grew calmer, coming close to Tony's face,"…how I felt when I saw you unconscious next to me in blood, while a few moments earlier you were holding my hand?" she went on, and her voice cracked.

Tony could see that Ziva's eyes started to tear up. Burying her face in her hands briefly, she continued. "It was a sign for me. The ones that get too close to me always end up dead. I didn't want this for you! I knew that the only the way to push away was to hurt your feelings so you could stay away from me and alive! And when Parsons came up with this stupid question, I knew it was my chance." she explained, sighing. Turning away she rested her hands on the back of her couch. "Everyone I loved is dead, Tony, don't you see? Everyone I loved is dead, and I didn't…" she trailed off and, shutting her eyes, tears slid down her cheeks.

"In Somalia, you told me that you couldn't live without me. I couldn't live at the thought of you losing your life because of me. If you ever get hurt I-" her voice cracked.

"Was that the reason you stayed in Israel? Was that the reason you wasted the only chance for us to be together?" Tony asked in disbelief and hurt. "Answer me, Ziva! Answer me damn it!" he yelled at her.

Ziva didn't say anything. She couldn't. Because that wasn't the only reason she had stayed in Israel. There was one more thing that had kept her back, and telling Tony what was that would make things even worse. Tony received her silence as confirmation and, without saying another word, and full of anger, he opened the door and left. Ziva started sobbing, thinking that what she was afraid of had just happened.

Tony got into to his car as the strong wind and thunder with lighting started. Burying his face in the steer wheel, with the rain echoing in his ears, he thought of Angelina's words. _'I know one thing for sure. She loves you with all her heart.' _Looking again at Ziva's "I WILL" list, Tony made his decision. He stepped out of the car without caring that the storm would soak him to the skin. Taking a few steps towards Ziva's house, he stopped dead in his tracks, watching to face him, a soaking wet and tearful Ziva. Even soaking wet and crying she was beautiful. She always had been beautiful. Both taking few steps slowly to each other, they stopped a few feet away.

"I'm tired of pretending, Tony." Ziva told him with shaking voice.

"So am I." it was the only thing that Tony said.

Making a few steps toward each other, they closed the gap between them and kissed. It was a passionate kiss, just like when they were undercover, but this time it wasn't for a mission, it wasn't for a disguise. It was just for them. A kiss that expressed the feelings they had had for each other the last 10 years, from the first moment they had met. They stepped inside the house without stopping their kiss, with love and need for each other to hit their hearts and bodies liked a flood. Tony held Ziva under her thighs while she wrapped her legs around his waist. They wanted to make love to each other, not just a casual sex. They wanted to feel like they had felt that night in Paris. As soon they stepped up the stairs and entered Ziva's room, Tony placed Ziva lightly down on the comforter and lowered his weight down slowly until they flushed up against each other. Looking deep into Ziva's brown eyes, his heart skipped. Tony had seen that look before. That night in Paris when, forthe first time, they made love. This look in Ziva's eyes was the all encouragement he needed to kiss Ziva, to be his, after all these years. That night, everything had changed for them. That night, two soul mates became one, giving themselves to each other...

* * *

**I hope you liked it. Happy Valentine's Day and don't forget; TIVA Rules**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note **

**Familiar Faces are back!**

**Debbie:**** on future chapters we will have hints about what was the other reason that made Ziva to stay in Israel. There will be more details on a later chapter, I promise and we will understand why she didn't say anything to Tony**

**Specials thanks **

**To : Tereza who is my personal consulter on this story**

**To: Laitie my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…**

**And of course of all of you that favorite reviewed and followed that story**

**Unfortunately, I do not own NCIS…**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

The rain had almost stopped falling, while the soaking-wet clothes were lying on the floor. Ziva was full of sweat and tucked snugly into Tony's arms, resting her head on his chest, over his heart. For the first time after a long time, she felt peace, she felt...loved. Yes, now she knew. She was 100 percent sure of where she belonged. Here in D.C., in Tony's arms. Or, to be more exact, she belonged wherever Tony belonged. Keeping her eyes closed and raking her fingers through his chest hair, she couldn't stop replaying in her mind their love-making that night. He had been so gentle, so caring with every inch of her, that only the thought of it made a shiver go down her spine. That's exactly how she had felt in Paris. It was the reason why she had never let Ray touch her. Yes, it might have sounded ridiculous because she was going to marry him, but she didn't want to lose Tony's feeling. The way his fingerprints caressed every scar on her body, the way his hot breath felt on her skin. She smiled at the memory.

"Why are you smiling?" Tony asked, looking down at her face.

"Paris," Ziva said in reply, still playing with his chest hair, her eyes looking blank, her mind refusing to leave that memory. "Along with our kiss at the airport. These were the only memories that kept me sane at nights," she continued, closing her eyes. "I was closing my eyes, and I could feel your lips on mine," she confessed, opening them again as Tony leaned closer to see her better.

There was silence for few moments before Ziva finally spoke again. "Back in Paris-"

Tony cut her off, "You were scared that it was a mistake, or that it wouldn't have worked between us." Ziva nodded.

"I understood. I mean the memories from..." Tony choked on the word that was to follow.

"Somalia," Ziva completed as casually as if she were talking about the weather.

"Yes," Tony confirmed, sighing. "The memories from Somalia were still fresh, and I was afraid that had I hurt you that night. That's why I didn't push you to discuss it," he went on.

"You never hurt me, Tony. On the contrary, whatever happened that night, happened because we both wanted it to. That night, you made me feel special, treasured. No man made me feel the way I felt in Paris with you. None. And that scared me more than anything. If it wouldn't have worked, it would have ruined everything between us," Ziva revealed without hesitation, and continued to play with Tony's chest hair.

"What about now, Ziva? Are you afraid of this? Are you afraid of us?" he asked while he was playing with her curls.

"I'm terrified," Ziva confessed, "that it won't work and we hurt each other. But," she continued, kissing his chest over his heart and placing herself on top of him, "you proved to me so many times that it's worth the risk, that you are worth the risk. And now…I'm willing and ready to take it. I couldn't live without you, Tony. As much as I tried, I couldn't," she concluded cupping his face with both hands, looking deep inside his green-hazel eyes.

"I love you, Ziva," Tony blurted out without hesitation.

Ziva didn't say anything. She just continued to look deep into his eyes, smiling. Tony started to worry about Ziva's silence. Countless thoughts started crossing his mind. 'Maybe it was too soon? Maybe she doesn't believe me?' But before he managed to say anything, she answered back, without taking her eyes off of his.

"I love you, Tony," Ziva said, and Tony grinned.

Pulling her towards him, he kissed her passionately, intertwining his fingers into her wild curls. They pulled away from each other from that breathtaking kiss, gasping for air. But at the same time, Ziva looked deep down into his eyes again. She had missed them so much during those two years that she couldn't get enough of them. She couldn't get enough of him.

"Make love to me, Tony," Ziva said without hesitation, full of passion, and Tony gladly obliged to her request, because, truth to be told, he couldn't get enough of her, either.

* * *

"When?" Tony asked as Ziva sat up in the bed.

"When, what?" Ziva asked and looked at him, confused.

"When did you know that you had feelings? For me," he clarified.

"From the first moment I laid eyes on you," she answered without hesitation. "But I admitted it to myself afterwards."

"When?" Tony asked curiously.

"That summer that Gibbs retired. But I convinced myself that it was only physical attraction," Ziva said and lowered her eyes. "However, when you were with Jeanne, when I heard you telling her on the phone that you loved her, my heart stopped. I knew at that moment that I was in love with you, but I had lost you," she confessed with hurt.

"Oh, Ziva, I should-" Tony started, but she cut him off.

"No, it's not your fault. I should have told you about Bashan, about the photos. I shouldn't have shut you out the way like I did. If I had been honest from the beginning, things would be different now," Ziva revealed sadly. "What about you?" she asked and caressed his jaw line with her knuckles.

Tony blushed. "At the same time. When you asked me if I was having a phone sex. But I admitted it to myself much later than you did," he said. "I had already known that I was in love with you when Gibbs retired, but the whole mess with Jeanne…"

"When did you know for sure?" Ziva asked quietly.

"When you slept with that guy from the bar," Tony revealed. "But, still, I convinced myself that what I had felt back then was concern, not love. But after Jenny's death, when you went back in Israel and I was reassigned as Agent Afloat, I was sure. I was sure that I was in love with you." After sitting up on the bed to have a better look at Ziva, he continued. "When we met in Columbia, you told me that I could have called. I couldn't."

"Why not?" Ziva asked curiously.

"Because I thought that you would have stayed in Israel forever and a call would have revived my hopes that you would come back. I couldn't do it. I couldn't. I couldn't hear your voice and…I couldn't bear one more disappointment. It proved that I was wrong." he smiled sadly.

"Tony-"

But Tony interrupted her. "You were right, Ziva. I should have called. If I had , you and Rivkin…"

"Rivkin was mistake," Ziva said interrupting him. "I never loved him. He was a comfort, a compromise because I couldn't have you. I loved you. Even back then, I was in love with you. As for my actions in Israel, I told you earlier. I was scared…for your life. And I was confused. I …I know it was the wrong reaction but…"

"I don't care anymore, Ziva. Now we have one more chance, and I won't waste it. I love you…" Tony said and cupped her face.

"I love you," Ziva answered back and ran her hands through Tony's hair while he leaned in to kiss her gently. Ziva placed her hands on Tony's back, wanting to make the kiss deeper, but she caressed something with her fingerprints.

"Tony, what is this on your back?" Ziva asked, and Tony pulled away.

"It's nothing…just a scratch…" Tony replied simply and placed his body in a position to prevent Ziva from touching it. Ziva looked at him with confusion.

"Tony, let me see," she demanded, but Tony didn't move. "Let me see," Ziva repeated louder. Tony turned his body slightly. There was a wound on his left deltoid. With her IDF and Mossad-trained injury knowledge, Ziva knew that the wound wasn't a "just a scratch" as Tony had claimed.

"Tony…" she called him, but Tony remained still. "Tony, look at me please," she pleaded with him. Palming his cheek, she turned his face so he had to look at her. "This isn't just a scratch. It's a scar and very bad one, I can tell. It's pretty deep," Ziva said with worry .

"It's not that bad. It didn't damage any muscle or anything," Tony stated simply, trying to pass his injury off as insignificant.

"How…how did this happen?" Ziva asked with fear and tried to caress the scar, something that made Tony flinch.

"I was pursuing a suspect, and…" Tony said, avoiding Ziva's gaze.

"How did this happen?" Ziva repeated with a 'I don't believe you' look.

"Damn," Tony cursed shutting his eyes. He leaned back against headboard. Opening his eyes again, he locked them on the bed. "I was cut down in a bar fight a few months before you came back to D.C.," he confessed, full of shame. "I was drunk and…." he trailed off. "Gibbs made up an excuse to give Vance for my injury, so I wouldn't lose my job," Tony breathed.

Ziva raised her thumb to Tony's chin and locked her eyes on his. "You got drunk because of me," Ziva told him. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Ziva-" Tony tried to explain, but she cut him off.

"I was thousands miles away from you and, still, I was hurting you," Ziva said with a voice full of hurt with her heart shattering into thousands of pieces.

"The only one responsible for my actions is me. No one else, ok?" Tony tried to reassure her. "What happened that night was my fault. Just like the day that Adam called. I hurt you and..." His voice cracked.

"Tony, I forgave you," she whispered and traced his scar with her fingers.

"Ziva-" But she cut him off.

"Shh. I told you. I forgave you…just...just promise me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper as she was looking deep down into his eyes, "promise me that you won't drink again." she breathed out and before Tony managed to say anything Ziva started peppering kisses on his scar. "Please promise me," she begged with a cracked voice. She rested her forehead on his back, shutting her eyes tight.

Tony turned and cupped Ziva's cheek. He saw her crying silently, feeling her hot tears rolling down her cheeks as she opened them again.

"Ziva, please, don't cry. I promised you, I won't drink again," he answered back without hesitation, brushing a strand of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. "I never crossed the line since that incident in your house, Ziva. And I won't do it again," he went on and looked deep down into her eyes. Ziva buried her face in Tony's chest, wanting to hide the pain she had on her face.

"Hey, look at me" Tony said and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Ziva, please look at me," he repeated and raised her chin with his palm, making her tearful eyes look into his. "I WON'T DRINK AGAIN," Tony said with emphasis and leaned in to kiss her gently, trying to reassure her that he was telling the truth, that he would keep his promise. But before they knew it, the kiss deepened and Tony crawled on top her, unwrapping the sheets from Ziva's body, her nakedness exposed in front of him.

"I promise," he repeated again never losing eye contact with Ziva and she pulled him closed to her, feeling the warmth of Tony's body on hers, as she made love with him for one more time that night.

* * *

The next morning, Ziva woke up because the light of the sun was streaming through the windows into her room. Extending her arm to look for Tony next to her, she found his side empty. Fully regaining her consciousness, she glanced around the room. Nothing showed proof of Tony's presence there the night before. Ziva knew that he wasn't in the bathroom, because she didn't hear the water running. Wearing a pair of cargo pants and going down the stairs quickly, she started looking for him in the living room, the dining room, the kitchen and the study, calling his name. But Tony was nowhere to found. She called his cell phone, but it was turned off. Panic gripped her and nausea seized her stomach. Sitting on her couch, she buried her face in her hands. Ziva started to wonder if last night was just a dream or did Tony regret what had happened and left without explanation? She couldn't think which possibility was worse, but that was the exact moment that she heard someone to unlock her front door and she raised her head. It was Tony, and at the sight of him she sighed in relief.

"Where were you?" It was the only thing Ziva asked as she pulled herself from him after a hungry kiss she had given him, making him aware of the worry she had felt in his absence.

"I see old habits die hard," Tony said flashing her a Dinozzo grin. Ziva slapped him lightly in the chest, knowing that his comment had to do with Adam and what had happened in Israel. But she knew he was teasing her and he loved the fact that she had missed him.

''I had to run some errands," Tony answered a few moments later and sat on the couch, patting the space next to him for Ziva to sit. "To get some dry clothes and my charger because my battery is dead. I didn't leave you a note because I thought would come back before you woke up," he clarified. "And I also went to the Navyard, to get this," he said and, unfolding the chain, the Star of David was revealed.

It was like déjà vu for Ziva the way he did it, because with that the exact way Tony had unfolded it right in front of her, that day two years ago in Israel, in that farm house. He gestured for her to turn around so he could place it on her neck.

"The moment I saw it in my pocket, I knew that it was a promise. A promise that one day, you might come back to me. Every time I was lost hope, I opened the first drawer of my desk and glanced at it. It gave me the courage to believe that you would return," he said as he brushed her curly hair into a ponytail. "Now that you kept your promise, it's time I gave you your necklace back. Welcome home, Ziva. Welcome back to my life," Tony said and clasped the necklace in place, kissing her lightly on her crook.

Ziva turned and kissed him. Taking his hand in hers, they stood up from the couch, with Ziva leading him up to the stairs and to her bedroom. They both knew that their lovemaking all weekend and the nights that would follow might not be enough to make up for all the wasted time when they had denied their true feelings for each other, but they could seal a promise that they would have a better future together. And, truth be told, it was the only thing that really mattered.

* * *

**Let me know what you think**


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note **

**Anyone who has seen Cote De Pablo's recent interview on the Dovekeepers set, loved the comment about the whole "romance" thing. I want to congratulate her in public for the way she threw it on Harmon's and Glasberg's faces. They deserved it and they deserve much more for the fact that the turned the #1 show into a simple cash cow show.**

**Anyway, back to the story**

**Specials thanks **

**To : Tereza who is my personal consulter on this story**

**To: Laitie my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…**

**And of course of all of you that favorited reviewed and followed that story**

**I own NCIS only in my dreams**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

It was Monday, and the first day for Tony and Ziva, as a couple, at work. During the weekend, they had discussed whether they were going to tell Gibbs about the new state of their relationship or not. They had decided against it though. They wanted to prove to him, first, that they were capable of keeping their personal lives together out of the office, even though they knew that they would have his blessing, considering the events which happened during the last 2 years. However, keeping their personal lives out of the office didn't mean that they couldn't have small, intimate moments, such like that morning in the elevator. Although it was full of Agents during their ride on MCRT floor, both Tony and Ziva leaned in towards each other in the cool metal box, intertwining their fingers and smiling at each other.

During that day, they worked the cold case that Tony and the team had been working on, on Friday, which included the multiple deaths of marines' wives, both in Rota and D.C. Gibbs wanted to solve this case at any cost. They were so focused on the case that no one noticed the Star of the David on Ziva's neck, not even Gibbs. The time passed and everyone represented their findings until it was Ziva's turn. She, during her investigation for the suspects and their alibis, concluded with a Petty Officer named Henderson, who was living few miles outside of D.C.

"Henry Henderson, 45 years old," Ziva said and put his photo on the screen so the rest of team could see him. "Divorced, no children, his ex-wife has lived in California the last 3 years," she continued. "On the dates of the murders in Rota, he was there on the ship that he had served on. They sailed there during these dates after a NATO exercise in the Mediterranean Sea," she concluded.

"What about the murders in D.C., Ziver?" Gibbs asked.

"Same thing, Gibbs. He was here," she answered.

"The file says he has alibis for the two murders in Rota," McGee argued. "He was in a bar with sailors."

"Drunken sailors," Bishop clarified. "Makin told Tony that, when they testified, they weren't 100 percent sure about the timeline. Yes, they were with Henderson, but they didn't remember the time exactly."

"Exactly, not to mention that when you are drunk, you say or do things which you should be ashamed of afterwards" Tony said and his face dropped.

Ziva understood he was talking about himself, because during the amazing weekend they spent together, they talked about the bar fight he had had a few months before she came back and, of course, the incident at her house that day after Adam's phone call. He was still beating himself up about the way he treated her that night, although she had forgiven him. But Ziva was proud of him. Since that night, he never drank again, at least not crossing the line. Just a glass of scotch when the team was going out for drinks. He changed for her. With her. The words he told her under the olive trees in Israel a few years ago came back in her mind. 'I can change with you.' And he did.

Gibbs' voice brought her back to reality.

"Anyway, I think it's worth it to pay a visit to Mr. Henderson. McGee, Dinozzo, with me," Gibbs barked. Both men rushed to their desks and grabbed their backpacks.

"What about me, Gibbs?" Ziva asked, confused.

"You're staying here. Ellie will go downstairs to Abby to process some evidence again" he said.

"This is ridiculous! You can't take my partner out in the field and leave me here doing paperwork!" Ziva protested.

'Oh, boy, this is bad. Pretty bad what you were thinking Ziva?' Tony thought, listening to his girlfriend's protest.

Gibbs turned to Ziva, furious. "Since when do you judge my choices, Agent David? Who is the leader of this team?" he shouted at her. Ziva remained silent "Exactly!" Gibbs pointed at her desk. "Now, back to work!" he barked at her and gestured for both Tony and McGee to head toward the elevator with him.

When the elevator doors opened and both Gibbs and McGee stepped in, along with Bishop, who was going down to Abby's lab, Tony said, "Geez, I forgot my cell phone in my drawer. Go down and I catch up to you in a few."

After the elevator doors closed, Tony headed back into the squad room and towards Ziva.

"What the hell was that?" Tony demanded, his voice soft. "We're not supposed to give anyone a reason to gossip. Especially Gibbs and you-" but Ziva cut him off.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry. But I have a bad feeling about this and I don't trust your back with anyone, even if it is Gibbs" she confessed.

"Don't worry. Everything is going to be alright, ok? How about this? If Gibbs lets us leave early, shall I take you to dinner?" he asked, flashing a Dinozzo grin.

"We'll see," she replied playfully.

"Got to go, sweet cheeks. Love you" Tony said. After he glanced around the bullpen and saw that no-one was around, he leaned and gave Ziva a quick kiss on the lips.

"Tony!" Ziva shouted, and Tony turned his head to face her before he made his way towards the elevator. "Be careful," she said, her voice full of worry.

Tony winked at her, at the same time flashing her a very bright Dinozzo grin, and headed for the elevator. Ziva sighed, watching him disappear behind the doors. She had a bad feeling that day, and she didn't want someone else to have Tony's back but her. Yes, Gibbs was a good partner, but something was off and she wanted to be sure about Tony's safety. Pushing the dark thoughts from her mind, she thought about the possibility of being on a date with Tony as a couple for the first time that night. Leaning on her desk, she smiled at herself. She couldn't wait for the time to come.

It had been hours since Tony had left with Gibbs and McGee and, still, they hadn't come back or contacted them. Bishop returned from Abby's lab with nothing new that could connect Henderson with the murders. The time dragged on and Ziva's worry grew more. She called Tony's cell phone once, but he hadn't picked up. She didn't try a second time, afraid of causing Gibbs' suspicion. Finally, at 16:45, she decided to go to the coffee shop across the street to get a cup of tea.

"Hey, Ellie, I brought you your favorite crackers," Ziva said, grinning, as she came back to the squad room. Bishop was sitting whimpering, her face buried in her hands on the desk.

"What happened?" Ziva asked with worry and approached the young woman. "Please, Ellie talk to me." Ziva raised her voice so Bishop would pay attention to her.

"Gibbs...Gibbs called...He's in Bethesda." Bishop managed to say, making Ziva's blood to turn cold.

"Who?" Ziva managed to ask. Bishop raised her head, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Who, Ellie? Who?" Ziva asked, her voice trembling.

"Ziva," Bishop's voice cracked, her eyes still locked on Ziva's.

"Who?" Ziva shouted.

"Tony," Bishop said with hurt, looking Ziva in the eye. The cup of tea hit the floor with Ziva gripping at the edge of Ellie's desk.

"Ziva!" Ellie stood up from her desk to catch Ziva whose knees gave way beneath her.

"No." It was the only thing that Ziva managed to say. "No, no, no," she repeated all over again.

'It can't be,' she thought. 'He was standing just a few hours ago, in front of me, grinning like an idiot, promising me our first date, telling me he loved me, kissing me. He promised that he would be careful. He promised that he would be careful. No, no, this isn't reality. It's a dream. No, it's a nightmare.'

Ziva shut her eyes and opened them again, but nothing changed. Glancing around the bullpen, she could see the other Agents looking at her with worry and question while Ellie was telling her something and trying to help her stand.

"Ziva, I'll take you to Bethesda. Come on," Ellie said putting Ziva's arm around her shoulder and heading for the elevators.

* * *

"Where is he?" Ziva shouted as she spotted McGee in the lobby. Ellie had driven Ziva to the hospital in Ziva's Mini because, that day, Ellie had gone to work with McGee.

"Surgery. He's been inside for a couple of hours," McGee answered.

"A couple of hours!?" Ziva hissed, her eyes bloodshot from crying.

"I…I'll lead you," McGee continued with terror at Ziva's cry. McGee hadn't seen that look on Ziva for a long time. The last time he had seen that look was in the Gibbs' cabin two years ago after Parson's case. She looked like she was ready to kill someone, and McGee scared that she would do it that moment.

"What happened?" Ziva asked with a cracked but calm voice this time, because she knew it wasn't McGee's fault. While McGee was explaining to Ziva and Ellie how they went to Henderson's house to ask him some questions, Ziva spotted Gibbs, Abby and Ducky.

"You!" Ziva turned to Gibbs with anger. "This is your fault! I asked you to let me out in the field with him, and you stuck me with that stupid paperwork!" she exclaimed.

"Ziva, calm down-" Abby tried to calm her, but Ziva cut her off.

"Don't ask that of me! Don't ask me to calm down! Don't!" she said, turning her attention to Abby with gritted teeth. "It's all his fault I...I wanted…" but Ziva couldn't continue because she started sobbing.

Gibbs' face during this entire outburst had remained stoic, and was still.

"Ziva, my dear, calm down" Ducky said, and when he was ready to continue, a doctor with a green hospital gown full of blood appeared.

"Family of Anthony Dinozzo?" The doctor asked.

"That's us," Gibbs said and the doctor sighed.

"I'll be honest…things are really bad...really bad...The one bullet found his left lung. Fortunately, it caused minimum damage, but considering his history with his lungs, we might have problem. Doctor Pitt, who treated him back then, was informed to come and check on him tomorrow. As for the other bullet..." the doctor hesitated, sighing. "The second bullet was a few millimeters from his heart. We lost him twice, but we managed to resuscitate him. We got the bullet out, but he lost a lot of blood. Plus, it might have caused a lot of damage. We will be sure in the next few hours, if he wakes up, I hope. For now, he's in coma. I'm sorry, but if he doesn't wake up within the next few hours..." the doctor trailed off. "I'm sorry. It's up to him now," the doctor concluded.

"Can...can we see him?" Ziva asked with a cracked voice.

"No, not yet. I'm sorry."

"Thanks, Doc." It was the only thing that Gibbs said. The doctor nodded and walked off.

"Who had his back?" Ziva asked calmly. McGee looked at Abby and Abby looked at Gibbs.

"Who had his back?" Ziva repeated the question, almost shouting.

"I did," Gibbs answered sternly.

Ziva looked at him with rage. "Are you happy? I asked to go out in the field with my partner, and now because of your incapability to protect him, he's fighting for his life. Are you happy? Answer me, damn it!"Ziva yelled.

"Ziva, please..."Abby tried to stop her.

"I hate you, Gibbs..." Ziva said, crying. "I hate you!" she repeated, yelling at him between her sobs before running towards the elevators.

No-one could believe what had just happened. What Ziva had just said to Gibbs. Gibbs remained without emotion on his face, but deep down in his heart he knew one thing. He had let down two of his 'children' that day…

* * *

**Oooops! Sorry about that.. Let me know what you think.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note **

**Specials thanks **

**To : Tereza who is my personal consultant on this story**

**To: Laitie my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…Girl I meant and I will always mean any word I wrote You know that very well.**

**And of course of all of you that favorite reviewed and followed that story**

**I own NCIS only in my dreams**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

Ziva's mind still couldn't process what had happened. The shooting, Tony lying in a hospital bed, the words she had said to Gibbs. She couldn't believe that now that she was finally happy with the man she loved, things turned out the way they had. She wanted to believe that everything was bad dream, a nightmare. But, unfortunately for her, was the hard truth. While she was sitting for hours on a bench out of the hospital looking at the blank wall, she remembered Deena's words and started to cry.

"_The center of the pain is you," _Deena had told her in anger two years ago and remembering those words her heart ached. She started to wonder if she was the reason why Tony was in this state. If, indeed, everyone who was close to her ended up dead. However, she couldn't drag herself back to it. She had to be strong. For Tony. For both of them. Gathering all the physical strength she had left in her body, she made her way into the hospital. McGee had informed her earlier through a text about the floor and the number of the room. Arriving on Tony's floor, she saw only Gibbs sitting on a chair with a cup of coffee on his hand and his eyes locked on the floor. She had been unfair towards him. He didn't deserve that kind of treatment. On the contrary, he was a father to all the members of the team. Especially her. The first time she had come to America, after she had returned from Somalia and now. Her words years ago after she was rescued from her captivity echoed in her head. _"The closest thing I have to a father." _She sighed. How could she speak to him the way she had? She walked towards him until she was standing in front of him.

"Gibbs," she said and he raised his head to look at her. "I'm sor-" but before she managed to complete the sentence, she was enveloped in a huge hug.

"It's ok, kid. It's okay," Gibbs said and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry, too," he went on with a cracked voice and Ziva started sobbing on his shoulder.

"It's ok, kid. Let it go," he said as a tear slid down his cheek. "Just let it go."

The night flew by. When morning came, Dr Pitt, who had treated Tony during his sickness with Plague, came in to check on his lungs. .The good news was that the bullet didn't cause any further problems to his lung. However, he was worried because he had discovered an infection in that particular wound. The doctors were worried that the other bullet created some damage to his heart or any other vital organ, because they expected that Tony should have woken up by now. However, visits were allowed, and Ziva was the first to go. Entering the room, she could hear the steady beeping of the machines. Making a few steps in, she saw Tony lying in the bed. He looked so pale, so small, and so weak.

"My love." It was the only thing Ziva could say as she leaned in to kiss him gently on the lips. "Wake up, please," she begged, but she didn't get any response. Sitting on a chair beside him, she interlaced her fingers with his and started to cry. She didn't leave all day or night. She stayed there by his side. And the next day, and the next day. After one week in coma, Tony showed no improvement. Gibbs did everything he could to allow Ziva to stay in the hospital at Tony's side from the day one, but being two Agents down and with a case with a triple homicide running, she had to come back. However, her visits didn't stop. On her breaks, she was going to the hospital in record time. Plus she was visiting Tony for a few hours after work. Every night before she left the hospital she was kissing him, begging him to wake up, but Tony didn't respond. The doctors told them that Tony was responding to the treatment for the infection, but they were afraid of damage to other vital organs, telling Ziva and Gibbs that he might not wake up anytime soon. But Ziva refused to lose her hope, telling them that it was just a matter of time. However, after three weeks, nothing had changed.

"You know Angelina called," Ziva said with a sad smile, interlacing her fingers with Tony's. "The preparations for the wedding are moving. She and Adam will get married in Haifa and they are expecting us. They will get married at the end of the summer, but they started the preparations now, considering that they live in Berlin. Angelina wants everything to be 100% perfect and she has already driven Adam crazy."

"I told her that we are together at last," she continued, chuckling. "She squealed from happiness but complained that I didn't call to tell her, but..." she trailed off as a sob escaped from her throat. "But when I told her about your current situation, she understood and started to cry. She was ready to jump onto a plane, so she could be here with me. She really loved you." she went on sobbing.

Taking deep breaths to calm down, she kept talking. "Today, when I was going to work, I was listening your favorite radio station. It played our song, Moi Petit Pois." she smirked as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Ziva lay down her head on Tony's good shoulder and, shutting her eyes tight, she started whispering the lyrics of the song that they had danced to in Berlin. _"In this world…"_ That was when the pointer finger of Tony's hand moved, but she didn't notice it and went on singing, touching his stubble-covered cheek. _"...of ordinary people, extraordinary people..._" The machines started beeping and Tony's eyes opened slowly, but she was so focused to the song that she continued singing it with a cracked voice. _"...I'm glad there is you."_

"You have a beautiful voice. You know that, right, sweet cheeks?" he said hoarsely.

"Tony?" she stood up surprised

"H…he…hey, there. Sorry if I scared you," he said with a sad smile.

She couldn't stop from crying.

"Oh, Ziva, please don't….don't cry...I don't like seeing you cry, you…you know that…It's ok, I'm ok...You are not getting away from me so easily, trust me. You're stuck with me." He smiled at her.

She laughed through her tears at his statement and said, "And you're stuck with me." She kissed him gently on the lips.

"How...how long have I been out?" he asked, coughing.

"Three weeks,'' she replied, wiping her tears from her cheeks. "I should call the doctors so they can check on you," she said and made her way towards the door. However, Tony grabbed her wrist with all the strength he had left in him and she turned her head to face him.

"Don't be long…" he said, pleading. She looked into his eyes. They were like those of a scared little child.

She shook her head, smiling. "I won't," she answered without hesitation, and he smiled. Ziva immediately called the doctors to check on him and informed the rest of team that he had woken up.

"The doctors said that the bullets didn't create any damage to the heart or to any other vital organs," Ducky informed the team, "but he has to stay for one more week for observation. After that, he will be able to get back to work temporally, on desk duty. Everything is fine now."

The days flew by quickly and as soon as Tony was discharged, he and Ziva headed for her place. He had missed her so much that once they were inside, he practically jumped on her.

"Tony," Ziva moaned between the kisses.

"Hmmm." It was the only thing he said as he was peppering her with kisses across her jaw line.

"Tony, you should be resting. You've just gotten out of a coma," she argued.

"Don't want to. I missed you," he said between kisses as he tugged on her shirt, trying to slip it off. At the beginning, she resisted. But eventually, she couldn't take it anymore. She had missed him so much. As he pulled her deeper into the embrace, he gently lifted her feet off the floor. She smiled and brought her legs up and around his waist. He held her under her thighs as he carried her up to her bedroom.

Lying on top of her, he kissed her gently.

"Page 57," was the only thing he whispered into her ear, smiling, and she chuckled.

'This will be one hell of a day,' she thought.

* * *

"I think it's time," Tony said. The woman across his desk raised her head and looked at him. "To tell Gibbs about us," he clarified.

Tony was more than excited when he came back from his recovery to see the Israeli flag placed in the pencil case on the desk across his. It was also a hell of surprise. Bishop had taken the initiative to switch desks with Ziva when Tony was still in hospital, believing that it would ease Ziva's pain from Tony's situation. However, at the beginning, seeing Tony's desk empty and knowing that he was coma hurt Ziva like hell. She wasn't able to focus at work and sometimes she was racing out of the bullpen about to burst into tears. After Tony woke up, though, the only thing Ziva was thinking was that, in few days, she would have those two green-hazel eyes locked on hers every day.

"You're right, Tony," Ziva replied, sighing. "We will tell him tonight in his house. Not here. I don't want one of the most important things in my life to be discussed in a cool metal box," she added.

Tony smiled. "Ms. David, are you considering me one of most important things in your life?" he asked with a grin, leaning back in his chair.

"Yes," she replied without hesitation, standing up from her desk going to lean on the edge of his. "Maybe the only important thing and I was very stupid to take almost eleven years to realize it. Especially the two last ones…" she said sadly.

Tony was ready to answer but Gibbs rushed into the bullpen, barking, "Grab your gear! Triple homicide in Quantico. Bishop and McGee are waiting for us in the Charger."

Ziva sighed while Tony thumped his head on his desk in desperation. They would probably have to postpone the conversation with their boss.

The case concerned a triple homicide of three marines, shot through the head, execution style. There was frustration with all of them, because each time they were finally at the bottom of things, something new came up. However, Tony and Ziva were more frustrated than anyone else. Not only because of the case, nor for not making known the new state of their relationship to their boss but also for the fact that they hadn't had any intimate moments between them for past few days, and their breaks schedules didn't help the situation, either. As for the restrooms, well, every time they wanted any intimate moments in them, someone was interrupting them. So they were limited just on some innocent squeezes on the shoulders and quick kisses when they were unnotice. After two weeks of hard work and countless interrogations which lasted several hours, the case was wrapped up and everybody felt relieved, especially the couple. Entering Tony's apartment a little after 21:00 the night that case was wrapped up, Tony headed towards his fishbowl to feed his fish while Ziva crashed herself on the couch, burying her face in the pillow.

"I still can't believe you named a fish after me," she mumbled in disbelief, with her face still buried.

"You know, I had a cat, too, but he disappeared about 1,5 ago." Tony said, smiling, and she raised her head in surprise, opening her eyes wide.

"Do you want order a pizza, or should I make pasta?" he asked, sitting at edge of the couch.

"No, I'm not hungry. I just want...you..." she said with puppy eyes, sighing. "Hold me." she dragged him over and made him lie next to her on the couch. She snuggled into his body and buried her face between his neck and his shoulder. Tony hugged her and buried his face into her wild curls, smelling the scent of the jasmine and vanilla shampoo which he had always loved on her.

"Should we go to Gibbs' later? And talk to him?" he asked, his face still buried in her hair.

"Uhuhh," she said. "Just not yet" she continued. "I want to stay close to you a little longer." She gave him a kiss on his neck. They stayed like this for a few hours before they forced themselves to get up and go to Gibbs' house.

* * *

Gibbs dragged the sander over the wood, pressing on it harder and harder with each stroke. He was surprised to hear his Agents' footsteps on the top of his stairs.

"Ziva, Dinozzo, what the hell are you doing here in the middle of the night?" Gibbs barked, not taking his attention from his project.

As he turned his head to face them he stopped dead i his tracks, seeing his Agents holding hands with their fingers interlaced. Gibbs threw the sander on his workbench, sighing

"How long?" it was the only thing he asked.

"Almost two months. Few days before Tony got shot" Ziva replied casually.

'So that's explains Ziva's reaction after Tony was shot' Gibbs thought.

"Boss, we wanted to prove to you that we could keep our personal life out of the office" Tony tried to explain.

"Obviously, you have. Good for you" Gibbs replied and took the sander back into his hand, continuing work on his new project.

"What, wait, just like that?" Tony asked, confused. Gibbs turned his attention back to Tony. "I had a feeling that we might have your blessing, but no lecture about breaking rule #12?" he continued.

"Nope." Gibbs said. "Actually it took you long enough. I expected this conversation years ago."

Both Tony and Ziva were left speechless.

"But better late than never, right?" Gibbs asked with a chuckle. "Anyway, you have my blessing. But if you hurt each other," he continued pointing his sander between them, "I will kick your butts so hard, that you'll feel pain for the rest of your lives. Understood? Now go! I want to see you tomorrow at work on time!" he waved them off and went back to his work.

As they were going to leave, Gibbs stopped them. "Wait! I want to speak to Ziva. In private."

Ziva squeezed Tony's hand, reassuring him that she was ok. As soon as Tony went up the stairs, Gibbs approached her.

"You know you're like a daughter to me, and how much I love you, right?"

She nodded.

"When you decided to stay in Israel, you broke Dinozzo's heart. I don't even know how he survived it. But I do know one thing. Next time he won't. Just...be careful.''

"I won't hurt him again; trust me." she said without hesitation. "I love him too much to hurt him like that again. I'd rather...I'd rather hurt myself than hurt him. He's the only man I've ever loved Gibbs" she continued, her voice trembling.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them. "I know, kid, I know." he said looking deep inside her eyes, because he knew her eyes always mirrored her soul. And at that the exact moment he knew one thing: that Ziva was saying the damn truth.

* * *

**Thanks for reading . Let me know what you think**


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note **

**Truth to be told I had in mind to write on this note some comments about a review that story received in the previous chapter about Ziva and how much the team made her to feel guilty about her departure. However, Cote De Pablo and her nuclear bombshell about her exit from NCIS changed my plans. Well TIVA and ZIVA fans had been confirmed and now it's obvious whose fault was that Ziva/Cote had this kind of exit from the show. However, what is done is done. I want to congratulate Cote for her great acting in the Dovekeepers and I wish her an Emmy nomination. She really deserves it. And of course: congratulations for "The 33". Cote you rock girl! 2015 is your year. Don't let anyone to ruin that.**

**Anyway back to the story**

**Specials thanks on two girls, because thanks to them I'm still updating this story.**

**To : Teresa who is my personal consultant**

**To: Laitie my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…**

**And of course of all of you that favorited reviewed and followed that story**

**Disclaimer: If only…**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

The next day in Navy Yard was almost the same. Both Tony and Ziva were relieved that they finally had Gibbs' blessing. The news of their relationship spread quickly as Harold, of Linguistics Department, busted them while they were kissing in the parking lot the night before. They thought that they were going on unnoticed. Even if the couple was the focus of the discussion of the whole Navy Yard, it didn't affect their daily routine at work. Everybody on the team was happy for them, especially Bishop and Abby, because they had collected a bet concerning a considerable amount of money.

The day contained just paperwork from the triple homicide, which they had solved the night before. But Gibbs was very serious. Something was bugging him, and his gut didn't make mistakes. The couple was alone in the bullpen. Ziva was doing her paperwork, her eyes locked on the computer screen, while Tony was staring a little below her neck.

"Enjoying the view, Tony?"Ziva asked with a chuckle.

"Oh, yeah," Tony said excitedly. "Yesh lach shedim madhimmot, lahaeim metotok." (You have amazing breasts, Sweet Cheeks) He said to her in fluent Hebrew, something that made Ziva snapped her head towards him.

"Comment on them again at work and you won't see them for a long time" Ziva replied to him in a serious tone, sending him a death glare.

Tony just grinned at his girlfriend's threats, because, deep down, he knew that she loved compliments."I just wonder," Tony continued, standing up from his desk and approaching Ziva's, "how can you kill with a paperclip in 18 different ways?" he held a straightened paperclip in front of her face.

"I can give you a demonstration" she replied, taking the paperclip from his hand. "But I'd have to use you as a volunteer." she added, pretending that she was ready to hurt him.

As Tony was about to step away from her, fearing bodily harm, a male voice demanded their attention. "Agents David, Dinozzo, my office." Vance called from the railing. Both of them made their way up the stairs, shrugging at each other. Entering Vance's office, they found him already sitting at his desk. "Agents David, Dinozzo," he addressed them, "please sit." Tony and Ziva sat and waited for the Director to begin. "There is a rumor in the building that the two of you are romantically involved. Is that correct?" Vance asked.

"That's correct, Sir," Tony confirmed.

"You know there is no regulation that forbids the relationship between colleagues. But in your case, we a little problem." Vance looked between Tony and Ziva.

"I don't understand," Ziva said, confused.

"Agent Dinozzo is the SFA of the team, which means he is your superior during Gibbs' absence, Agent David." he clarified.

"What-" Tony tried to say, but Vance cut him off.

"You have two choices. Either Agent Dinozzo gives up his position as SFA, or one of you changes teams." he said sternly.

"Sir, you can't." Ziva protested.

"Oh, yes, I can, Agent David. I would do anything to protect the integrity of this Agency. And if Agent Dinozzo decides to leave he will take over his own team," he said, turning to Tony. While Tony was ready to answer, Vance interrupted him. "I don't want your answer now. It's Friday today. I want your answer on Monday. I think that is enough time for you to decide. You are dismissed." he gestured for them to leave.

Both Tony and Ziva made their way back to the bullpen in sour moods. Gibbs, noticing his Agents' faces, knew that something was wrong. When he found out from Tony what had happened, he headed towards Vance's office boiled with anger. No one was going to split his team up again.

"Sir, I tried to stop him, but I couldn't-" The secretary apologized as Gibbs rushed into Vance's office without knocking on the door.

"It's OK, Cynthia. Besides, it is known that Agent Gibbs he doesn't know how to knock," Vance said

"Leon, what the hell was that with my Agents?!" Gibbs demanded with rage

"It was the right thing to be done," he answered.

"I told you thousands of times, my team, my rules. " Gibbs shouted.

"Not this time, Gibbs. They are my Agents. So are you." Vance fired back.

"They can keep it out of the office, Leon!"

"Like they did 4 months ago, Jethro? When Dinozzo practically attacked David?!" Vance asked with a raised voice, standing up from his desk.

Gibbs didn't answer. Yes, Tony and Ziva were together now, but who could ensure him that this wouldn't happen again? Working with lover isn't the best, especially when the one is the superior of the other. He and Jenny were a recent example of that. But Gibbs knew, deep down, that Tony and Ziva could make it work. However the chances of failure were lurking.

"Or do I have to remind you of what happened every time that these two Agents involved work with their personal life? Do you want me to remind you Miss Benoit? Rivkin? Or the most recent problem that Dinozzo created when he got involved with-" but Gibbs cut him off.

"This mess was not Dinozzo's fault!" the ex-marine shouted.

"Of course it was!" Vance fired back. "If he hadn't messed her up, nothing would have happened! However,'' Vance continued, "he's a capable Agent and it's time for him to take over his own team. Or are you so selfish that you want Agent Dinozzo to always be under your command?" he added.

Gibbs sighed. Yeah, it was time for Tony to be a leader. But the leader of this team. Because, truth to be told, Tony was the rock of this team. He was the one who had kept the team united when Gibbs couldn't

"It's not about selfishness, Leon. It's about the dynamic of this team," Gibbs answered. "This team, without these particular members...it's not the same. You saw that when you split the team up and when Ziva left. These people are more than a team. These people are family. And as for Tony, I will fight tooth and nail to keep him as my SFA and also as a member of the team...all of them!" And with that, Gibbs left Vance's office, closing the door behind him with force.

* * *

The ride to Ziva's place went by in silence. After the conversation Gibbs had with Vance, he had sent them home early. Entering the house, Ziva tossed her keys and her backpack on the table next to the door. She sighed and sat on the couch, burying her face in her hands. Tony knelt in front of her, touching her knee.

"Ziva, look at me" Tony said. Ziva didn't move. "Ziva, please look at me" he said again, pleading.

She raised her head and looked deep into his eyes.

"Ziva, we will be ok" Tony reassured her, taking her hand in his.

"How will we be ok, Tony? You barely have recovered from the shooting and now we have to face a new problem" Ziva replied, desperate.

"Everything will be ok, trust me" Tony continued with confidence to raise Ziva's morale. But deep down, he doubted his own words.

For hours, Tony and Ziva didn't say a word to each other. They couldn't believe how things had turned out. Tony was in the bedroom, trying to find a solution. He couldn't leave the team because it was like a family to him, but he couldn't waste so many years of work, giving up the SFA position either. In addition, the third option-Ziva leaving the team-couldn't be a solution. Not only because she was member of this family, but also because the bond between him and her was stronger now. He sighed because he knew that the decision had to be made by him. After a lot of thought, he went down the stairs to the living room and sat on the couch next to Ziva.

"I made my decision," Tony told her with determination.

"Tony...?" she said, confused.

"I decided to give up the SFA position."

"What!" she exclaimed. "Tony, you can't make a decision like that so quickly. You can have own your team and-" but he cut her off.

"Ziva, listen to me, please. This team and you are more important than any work opportunity I was offered. Why do you think I turned down Jenny's offer about Rota? This team is my family..." his voice cracked, "...my real family and..." he swallowed a lump in his throat, "…and working without seeing you...without seeing those two beautiful eyes.." he continued as he brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and placed it behind her ear, "…will be complete hell and I know what that's like. When I was Agent Afloat that summer that..." he hesitated, holding in a small sob, looking at the floor while she touched his cheek. He brought his eyes back up to hers and added, "And those two years that you were away from me, I was like the living dead and-" now it was her turn to cut him off with a passionate kiss. As they pulled away from each other, she spoke.

"I love you, Tony. And if I don't completely agree with your decision, I respect it, and I will be there to support you. Ata lo levad," she whispered to his ear, like Tony had done to her a few years ago in the airport.

Looking deep down into his eyes, she started sliding his jacket off of his shoulders before unbuttoning his shirt. She knew that this wasn't and the best way to comfort him, but he needed her and she was willing to do anything to ease the pain that he felt at that exact moment. Tony pulled her from the couch into his embrace and laid her on the floor, kissing her gently. After they made love, they snuggled with each other on the couch. Ziva had fallen asleep immediately, but Tony was awake during the whole night. He had thought of something, but he was not sure if it would work. The morning came and, sighing, he looked at his watch. It was little after 10A.M.. He turned to face Ziva. She was so peaceful while she was sleeping. He tried to slide unnoticed from her but he was unsuccessful.

"Where are you going?" she asked, half asleep

Tony went up the stairs to Ziva's bedroom without saying anything and grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Even if they hadn't moved in together, Ziva's closet contained a lot of his clothes, just in case.

"Tony, what's going on?" she asked, appearing in just his shirt while her curls were a mess from sleep.

"I have something to do, Sweet Cheeks, but I will need your car. I left mine in the Navy Yard," he said.

"Tony, what-" But he cut her off.

"Look, Sweet Cheeks, I'll explain it to you later. Just, trust me. I love you," Tony said, kissing her quickly and leaving her completely confused.

* * *

Tony drove like maniac towards his destination. After a 20-minute ride, he reached his destination. Stepping out the car, he walked over to the house that he had never visited for the last 2.5 years. And, truth to be told, he didn't want to.

It didn't take a long time for the door to open after Tony knocked.

"Hey, Jared. Is your father inside?" Tony asked Vance's son.

"Dad, Tony is here to see to you!" the boy shouted while he gestured for Tony to come inside. Tony did so.

"Agent Dinozzo. To what do I owe this visit?" Vance asked when he entered the room.

"Sir, I'd like to tell you some things, and if I don't change your mind, then I will give you my decision," Tony clarified.

"I am listening." It was the only thing Vance said as he sat in his arm chair and Tony sat on the couch across him

"Sir, the reason you told us those things yesterday was because you don't think Ziva and I will be able keep a strict, professional relationship when I have to be as a temporary supervisor. I understand your concern, but what makes you so sure about that? In the past, every time I was a temporary leader, Ziva never had special treatment," Tony tried to explain.

"You weren't together then" Vance stated

"But I had feelings for her back then, too. Everybody knows that, including you," Tony fired back. "Listen, all I want to do is explain to you that there will be no special treatment towards her when I will have to be a leader of this team. And I'm willing to prove it," Tony added.

"Agent Dinozzo, are you asking me to test you?" Vance asked with an eyebrow raised.

"You could put it that way, Sir. Besides, it could happen any moment if Gibbs decides to go on leave," Tony answered without hesitation.

Vance observed him for few moments before he finally spoke. "I'll be honest with you, Dinozzo. When I first met you, I didn't like you. But when I became Director, I liked your attitude, your style. You always say things as they are and, most importantly, you aren't an ass kisser. But most important of all, you have guts. The way you tricked Eli in Interrogation and beat him at his own game made me respect you. Not to mention the way you planned the operation in Somalia. You are one hell of an Agent,'' Vance revealed. "So be it," he said sighing lightly as he stood up from the armchair. "You can stay on your team and your position as SFA, but if I ever see any special treatment for Agent David while you are her superior, I'll send you as Agent Afloat for your rest of your life! Did I make myself clear?" Vance said.

"Yes, Sir," Tony said as he stood up from the couch and went towards the door.

"Agent Dinozzo," Vance called.

"Yes, Sir," Tony said as he turned his head away from the door.

"Out of curiosity, which was the decision, if I hadn't been convinced?" Vance asked, leaning against the armchair.

"To give up my position as SFA, Sir, and stay on the team," Tony said.

"Why are you so loyal to this team and Gibbs? I know you refused the Rota position that Director Shephard offered you...Why? I just I don't get it..." Vance asked.

"Because they are my family, Sir. My only true family. And I would never give it up," Tony answered without hesitation and left Vance's house, closing the door behind him.

Vance sighed as the door closed. "You are a lucky man, Dinozzo. You are a very lucky man. For your team, for Gibbs but most of all for the fact that I don't like owing any favors," he murmured to himself. "Especially to a David."

* * *

**Thanks for the support...Let me know what you think**


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note **

**I'd like to thank my mother because she raised me listening to Glykeria, one of the most beautiful voices of Greece. Her voice and her songs inspired and gave me the motive to write this story. Thank you Mum!**

**Anyway back to the story**

**Specials thanks **

**To : Teresa who is my personal consultant and the one who encourages me that I will make it eventually every time I have Author's block.**

**To: Laitie my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…**

**To: MusicWithinMe for her help with Hebrew and some information she gave me about the Jewish traditions**

**And of course of all of you that favorited reviewed and followed that story**

**Disclaimer: I wish….**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

Ziva was having a peaceful sleep in her bedroom when she suddenly felt tickling. Opening her eyes, she faced Tony kissing her neck.

"Hey, sleepy-head. Someone has been so lazy these last couple of days that she even skipped her morning run," he said, grinning.

"That's because she prefers to engage other forms of exercise in the bed, accompanied with someone else," she answered, pulling him on top of her and kissing him roughly. She wrapped her hands around his neck. They both moaned with the kiss. As they broke the kiss, their eyes locked, their foreheads touching.

"So where did you go so suddenly this morning?" She asked, not taking her eyes from his.

"To Vance's house," he answered. He stood up and grabbed her hands to help her stand on her feet.

"You went to Vance's house?" she asked, confused.

"Yeah. I went to talk him and convinced him to not split up the team but let me keep the SFA position," he explained, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Really? But how?" she asked in disbelief, her eyes wide open.

He explained to her, in detail, what was said at Vance's house. She listened in disbelief.

"That's exactly what happened, love," he said with a grin.

"I...I just can't believe it," she said back, tugging a strand of curls behind her ear. The truth was that she had a suspicion as to why Vance had given in so easily. It was something that would hurt Tony and she couldn't tell him. She just didn't want to drag him back to it.

"Well believe it!" Tony said, interrupting her thoughts. "Now, I have to go," he said. When he went to leave, she stopped him by catching his wrist.

"Where are you going?" She was very confused by his behavior today

"I'm going to the Navy yard to take my car, so I can take you out on a date tonight. Be prepared at 19:30 for me to pick you up," he clarified. She prepared a protest, but he stopped her placing his pointer finger on her lips. "No arguments," he said before he kissed her quickly before stepping out of the room.

The woman smiled widely. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to be Tony's girlfriend. However, her smile faded when she received a text from Vance on her cell phone.

"_We're even now. Don't screw this up."_ It was the only thing that she read before she crashed her phone into the wall, boiling with anger at Vance's words. Lying on the bed, she stared at the ceiling and sighed. She thought of all those moments with Tony those past couple of months. How happy she was with him, but also the possibility of him finding out the whole truth about her staying in Israel. Yes, she wanted to make a fresh start without keeping secrets from him, but this was necessary. Necessary to keep it in the past, and she would anything to do that.

* * *

Tony was in front of Ziva's door at 7:30 p.m., princely ringing the doorbell. Although during the 2.5 months they had been together and had dinners together before, he always felt nervous. As if it was the first time he was going on a date with her. He was like a teenager who was ready to go to the prom with his first crush.

Tony was wearing his most expensive, black, Italian suit he had, along with a silk red tie. Opening the door revealed a stunning Ziva David dressed in a simple, red dress, with its length just a little above her knees but quite revealing in the neck. She had let her hair down and curly. It was shorter since Tony had last seen her in Israel. She had let it down because she knew very well that Tony loved it like that, so much that it drove him crazy.

"You look..." Tony tried to say, but Ziva cut him off.

"Beautiful. Stunning to you even when I am mess." She smirked.

"Don't make fun of me, Ziva. I mean it!" he answered grinning. She was ready to say something back, when she noticed what Tony was holding in his hands, and she couldn't believe it.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot. These are for you," he said a little awkwardly while he handed her the bouquet of flowers. "I wanted to buy you red roses, but I thought it was too cliché because I brought them to you on our first date," he added." So I bought these"

She looked him in the eyes. "Tony, these are..."

But he cut her off. "Yeah I know. You should have seen how surprised I was when the florist told me that he had just imported them from Israel. Anemone Coronaria is the name, right?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head lightly. She nodded.

"He told me that they grow wild in southern Israel. They are red, just like you dress," he said, blushing.

She rushed into his arms and kissed him passionately. "These are my favorites. Thank you," she said and as she pulled away from him.

"My pleasure, love. I want each of our dates to be as perfect as the first one. Shall we go now?" he asked her, flashing her, a Dinozzo grin as he offered her his arm.

"Yes, let's go," she answered, looping her one arm through his and keeping the bouquet in the other.

Tony had made a reservation at a very expensive Italian restaurant. Eating Bolognese spaghetti and drinking a very expensive red wine, they discussed different matters, from work and Senior's wedding, to Ziva's life during her two year absence and their happy memories of their childhood. Although they had known each other after more than 10 years and being in relationship for 2.5 months already, there were still things that they didn't know about each other. That was why, every time they were on date or had free time, they discussed their pasts.

"I've always loved dinners with you," she confessed.

"Really?" he asked, surprised, as he sipped his wine.

"Yes. I will never forget those dates during the summer that Gibbs retired. You took me out for dinner, and when you were driving me back home, you were saying goodnight to me, kissing me on the cheek. It meant a lot to me and I understood that you really cared for me."

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Because most of the guys I've dated wanted to come into my apartment, have a drink and sleep with me afterwards," she revealed. "But you... Every time we were going out to dinner, you always kissed me on the cheek and left. You were a true gentleman," she added. "And those Friday night movies were..."

"Yeah, I did care for you. Even back then when I thought something would have happened between us. But after that rouge Mossad Officer framed you for murder, you just shut me out," he continued.

"You know why that happened, don't you?" she replied, her voice apologetic.

"I know, it just...I wish you could have told me back then. Things would have been different. I wouldn't have troubled in this mess with Jeanne, and I would have been willing to face your father and Gibbs with his rules," he said bitterly.

"I know. But we can't change the past, can we? The only thing we can do," she touched his hand on the table, "is live the present and hope to a better future."

"I don't hope we will have a better future," he said as he took her hand and raised it to his mouth to kiss her knuckles. "I'm sure we will, and I'll do anything for that."

"I know. So do I…I…I won't screw it up this time, I promise," she said with confidence.

"I know." He smiled and she smiled back.

* * *

Ziva unlocked the door with difficulty when they both returned back from their dinner that night. Tony had constantly wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, kissing her neck. Once they were inside the house, she turned to face him. Tossing the keys without caring where they landed, her hands found his hair and she locked her lips on his. Gasping, both desperate for air, they broke the kiss and looked into each other's eyes.

"Come here," she breathed heavily and grabbed him by the tie, closing the gap between them with a rough kiss once more.

With one quick move, he broke the kiss and turned her so that her back was facing him once again. He started trailing kisses down her neck with his one hand cupping her breast over the dress, squishing it, while the other one found and unzipped her dress.

"Tony," she whispered with pleasure because of the contact that his lips made with her skin.

Tony rocked his hips toward her buttocks, receiving another moan from her. "Take me right here and now," she ordered him boldly, with a smile on her face. He turned her to face him. "Now," she demanded and made quick work of his shirt tie and jacket before she tossed them on the floor.

Processing not only her actions and words but also his own, Tony snapped back to reality. He never wanted it this way. Not with her. Ziva wasn't just any woman for him. She wasn't a woman that he could have just casual, physical interaction with her, just a casual physical release. She was Ziva. His beautiful and precious ninja.

"Whoa, sweet cheeks. Easy, easy," he said holding his hands up in surrender. He took a few steps away from her.

"What's wrong? I thought you wanted…" But he interrupted her.

"No! Not like this." He ran his fingers through his hair, sighing.

"Why?" she asked, but then a realization hit her. "It's because of Somalia," she said with hurt in her voice. "You never wanted it rough, in case…"

"No!" Tony denied "It's not about…" He trailed off, shutting his eyes. He opened them again and took a few steps towards her. "I always had fantasies with you. Really. Since the day I met you. But…but I knew that when the time would come…." He cupped her face, looking deep into her brown eyes. "I knew that I would be careful, that I would be gentle," he continued as he ran his hands down her neck, shoulders and arms. "Like in Paris. Because you had been priceless to me and you always will be," he whispered, close to her face before he leaned to kiss her gently. "Priceless" he repeated and started peppering gentle kisses across her jaw line and neck. "Priceless."

She titled her head back, opening her neck to him with her body relaxing at his touch. "You are a woman," he started. "You are a woman who deserves to be handled with care," he confessed and looked into her eyes. "And I promised myself that I would do anything…" He cut himself off as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Anything for you to have that." With gentle movements of his hands, he sent her dress cascading on to the floor, leaving her only in her bra and panties.

'Tony," she whispered, and shivered as the cool air of the living room made contact with her skin.

"Shhh," he crooned into her ear and wrapped his arms around her. "Let me treat you the way you deserve to be treated," he continued with his hands moving toward her back for the clasp of her bra.

She shut her eyes, completely surrendered to the sensations as he touched her. Every time he caressed her skin with his fingerprints, she felt like electricity was running through her body.

"Open your eyes," he said after he pulled away to look at her. He brushed his knuckles against her cheek and she opened her eyes. He leaned and kissed her while he was unhooking her bra. Breaking the kiss, he held her under her thighs with her wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. It wasn't long before he stepped up the stairs and into her room and placed her on the bed.

"I love you," he said, and sealed his words with a kiss.

* * *

"Can I ask you something?" he asked as he and she were tangled in the sheets of the bed. "I've wanted to ask you since we started our relationship, but I never did."

"Fire," she said, and he rolled his eyes.

"Shoot. The word is 'shoot,' Zee-vah!" he corrected her, and she grinned, placing herself on top of him.

"I know what the word is. I just did it to tease you," she replied and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"So are you saying the idioms wrong just to annoy me?" he asked, surprised.

"Not always. But when I do it, I don't do it to annoy you. I like you correcting me. I find it sexy," she revealed playfully. "So, will you tell me what you wanted to ask?"

"The tattoo on your left shoulder, the word which is written in Hebrew. What does it mean?" he asked and trailed the marks on her shoulder with his fingers. She studied his eyes.

"I think you know very well what it means. McGee told me that you were taking Hebrew lessons during those years, and your knowledge is quite extensive considering your comments about my breasts yesterday. Plus the fact that you almost understood exactly what I said to Adam on the phone," she said, chuckling. He sighed.

"Did you really get a tattoo with my name?" He asked in disbelief.

"Yes, what's wrong with that?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, after you left Israel, I had the need to feel you close to me, and I did it! I loved you and I did," she explained. "Is that so bad?" She was starting to get annoyed.

"You could have come back if you had needed me close to you!" he shouted and pulled himself from her, sitting up in the bed.

"I couldn't come back, Tony. I just couldn't! I loved you and I did this!" she shot back in the same tone, sitting up on the bed.

"I don't think I deserve it, that's all. I don't deserve you marking your body with my name, I don't think I deserve your love," he said sadly.

"And why's that?" she asked, curious.

"Because I didn't wait. I didn't wait for you to come back," he started. "Occasionally, I was going back to the old, bad habits. Such as…" He sighed.

"One-night stands," she completed for him.

"Not quite," he corrected. "Look, she was my old partner in Philly, and we had some…" He trailed off

"Were you in relationship with her?" she asked hesitantly. "Because I only know about Amanda."

"Yes. Look, Zoe and I…." he started, but he was cut off.

"Zoe?"

"Yeah Zoe," Tony confirmed. "We had relationship when we were in the Police Academy, and one year ago we were involved again…in a some way."

"Friends with benefits?" she asked.

"At the beginning. But few months later things turned serious and…it just didn't work out," he said simply and sighed before he continued. "Even if I knew, deep down, that you would come back, I…" he trailed off burying his face on his hands.

"Look, Tony, you weren't obliged to wait for me to come back." She tried to reassure him, running her fingers through his hair.

"Yes, I was!" he said angrily and climbed out of the bed. "I loved you back then, and I let myself go out of control and I had this…" he trailed off before he continued again. "But I swear…. It was nothing compared to what we have, believe me."

"Tony." She tried to stop his endless outburst, but she failed.

"No, let me finish! I had some dates, too, before Zoe, but nothing important. Just a coffee or dinner, nothing more. Then I met Amanda…" he cut himself off. "But nothing happened besides kisses because I couldn't bring myself to the process to…but with Zoe… "

"Tony, you don't have to explain to me," she reassured him.

"But…"

"There are no buts." She cut him off. "You had every right to move on," she said trying to make him feel better. "Coming back here I was partly prepared to find you back to those…habits. Or worse, settling down with a girlfriend like Amanda and Zone…"

"Zoe," Tony corrected.

"Zoe, whatever," Ziva continued, rolling her eyes. "I know that it would have hurt like Hell if that had happened, but it was my choice to stay in Israel and I had to live with that. So you don't have to explain your choices during those two years to me anymore or for me to judge them, ok? Besides, what if I had those one-night stands instead of you? Would you have judged me?"

"I judged you when I thought you had slept with Adam even though we weren't together," he said and she sighed.

"I don't care what happened during those two years, Tony. Really!"

"So...?" he started hesitantly and she smiled.

"Yes, Tony, I'm fine with that. Besides, I told you few hours ago. What really matters to me is not the past, anymore, but the present and the future with you," she explained, and he sighed in relief. "Can I ask you to do something?"

"Anything," he said without hesitation.

"Can you just come back into bed, please?" she questioned teasingly.

"What are you planning to do with me, Ms. David, because I can see that dirty look of yours," he asked back at same tone as hers. She chuckled. "You want me only for my body, don't you?" he went on, and she laughed.

"Well, why don't you just come over here to find out?" she shot back and Tony jumped back into bed, placing himself on top of her.

"I love you, Ziva," he stated, his words as soft as whispers.

"I love you, Tony," she replied, with him starting to pepper kisses across her jaw line.

"So are you really fine with that?" he asked again with hesitation.

"Yes, but if any of those girls approach you again, especially this Zombie, I will…." she started to say, annoyed, but he interrupted her.

"Not going to happen," he said, laughing at her comment. "I will be yours forever, Ziva. Like you will be mine," he went on, whispering and trailing kisses all along her body.

"Forever yours, Tony" she whispered in his ear. "Forever yours."

* * *

**Let me know what you think**


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note **

**Usually, I don't answer in reviews on the A/N even if they are not flattering for my story but whatever.**

**To: Celestrial Moon and all readers;**** First for the Gibbs' topic. Yes, I portray a different Gibbs from the one who is on the show the last two seasons but as I will unwrap the story, the readers will understand the change on his behavior. In addition I can't have Ziva hating Gibbs from the moment she stepped into American soil again. It would be like I was bashing Ziva. When the time comes and Ziva finds out everything I'm sure she will do the right thing**

**As for Ellie's topic: Truth to be told I don't like her either, but that doesn't mean I have to bash her on the particular story. This story concerns the romance between Tony and Ziva and not Ellie's abilities as an Agent. It concerns how Tony and Ziva try to build a relationship with strong foundations, how to make it work. Ellie and the other characters are just part of the story.**

**Ellie will be judged by me as an Agent only through the show**

**Anyway **

**Specials thanks **

**To: Teresa who is my personal consultant. Thank you thank you very very much for... you know what… I love you very much sis...**

**To: Laitie my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…I still wonder how she tolorates me and my mistakes... thank you girl!  
**

**And of course of all of you that favorited reviewed and followed that story**

**Disclaimer: Yeah right….**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

The next morning, Ziva woke up as the sun started peeking into the sanctuary of her bedroom. It had been beautiful the night before, as always. Ever since they started dating, Ziva had felt safe when she was sleeping in Tony's arms. Not only psychically, but, most importantly, mentally. Being with Tony, the nightmares disappeared, making her sleep peaceful at last. She also stopped sleeping with guns and knives under her pillow. She never felt so safe with any other man. Not with Ray nor Michael, even if he was a Mossad assassin. Maybe she never felt completely safe with them because she had never truly given them her heart. But, with Tony, it was different. She had trusted him from the first minute she saw him. Hell, she told him about her sister when she had only known him for few hours. Yes, she was so stupid. She should have known from the first day they had met that this man was the man of her life, her soul mate.

Fully regaining her consciousness, she reached for Tony but found his side empty. She groaned in frustration. She was the ninja, but he had the skills to slip out of bed unnoticed.

"Good morning, sweet cheeks," Tony said and she snapped her head in the direction of the voice. He was standing at the door with a tray on his hands. "I made you breakfast," he continued and made his way to the bed. Placing the tray next to Ziva he beckoned her to eat "There are pancakes, bread, jam, orang-" she shut him up with a quick kiss.

"Thank you, Tony. You're so sweet," she said as she bit a slice of bread with jam.

"You have a little jam on your nose," he said seriously.

"Where?" she asked, confused, touching her nose as she was trying to find the jam to wipe it.

"Over there!" he said, putting a little a jam on her nose with his finger.

"You're such a child!" she told him, giggling.

"Let me wipe it," he said playfully and kissed her nose. But the kisses continued and became hotter and she knocked the tray of breakfast dishes out their way, having different activities in mind.

* * *

"Can't you stay overnight?" Ziva asked, lying on the bed, tangled in the sheets. Tony and Ziva had spent all that Sunday just lying or making love in the bed. Even though they had already been in a relationship for two months, they still couldn't get enough of each other.

"It's Monday tomorrow. We have to go to work," Tony said standing as he slipped his pants on over his boxers before he sat at the edge of the bed.

"You have your emergency bag in your car, plus some clothes in my closet," she said and wrapped her one arm around his middle. Sitting up on the bed, she caressed his healed shot wounds in his chest and kissed his neck. The truth was that she wanted him to spend all of his nights at her place. 11 years of dancing around each other without touching and kissing had been torture. Now that they had finally given in to each other, she couldn't get enough of him. She wanted to spend as much time as she could with him. She was ready for the next step. She wanted Tony to move in with her.

However, his past, after the Wendy fiasco, the only time during which he had moved in with a woman in his life, made her quite hesitant to ask him. Not to mention all the moving-in mess with Jeanne when he was undercover. She was afraid that he might misunderstand her proposal, making him think that she wanted a more serious commitment with him.

"Tomorrow night, Ziva, I'll stay," he said.

"Tomorrow night, tonight, what's the difference?" she asked and kissed his neck seductively. Tony stood up and looked at Ziva

"Ziva," he said as he caught her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Tomorrow. I'm not in the mood tonight"

"Promise?" she asked with puppy eyes.

"Promise," he said honestly as he slid on his t-shirt on over his head.

"Fine!" she said, groaning and pushing herself back. Tony leaned down to kiss her.

"Goodnight, sweet cheeks." he said. She wrapped her arms around his neck, playing with his hair.

"I love you. Got to go. See you at work tomorrow," he said after breaking the kiss.

"Goodnight," she said, sighing and raking her hair.

'This will be long night without him,' she thought.

* * *

Tony was tossing and turning in his bed, unable to sleep. This damn twin bed had stopped being familiar to him. That's because Ziva wasn't on it. He was intending to talk to her this weekend, but the whole mess with Vance ruined his plains, plus he was scared that her answer wouldn't be positive to his suggestion. Yes she proposed for him, that night, to stay with him and he had refused, but that didn't mean that she wanted to move in with him.

Tony looked on his alarm clock. It was 00:46. Covering his head with his pillow, he groaned in frustration. He wanted to be with her day and night, kissing her, touching her. He was determined to talk to her in the morning. But what if she didn't want to move in with him? What if it was too big a step for her? Those thoughts kept him awake all night. If only he knew that the same thing tortured her on the other side of town.

Monday morning came quickly and McGee went to work earlier than his co-workers. Or, at least, that was what he thought.

"Tony, what are you doing here so early?" McGee asked, confused.

"Couldn't sleep, so I came here to do some paperwork," Tony answered casually.

"I know the whole thing with Vance upset you and Ziva. God, it even upset us. But I didn't think so much, man," McGee said sitting on his chair and facing his co-worker.

"Actually, the whole mess with Director is solved. What really bothers me is something else," Tony whispered.

"Is something wrong with your relationship with Ziva? Are you tired of her already?" McGee asked, concerned.

"What?! No!" Tony exclaimed. "I will never tire of her! Are you nuts, McCrazy?" Tony asked, angry. "I just want to-" but he was interrupted by Ziva's entrance to the bullpen.

"Morning." It was the only thing Ziva mumbled.

"Morning," both guys said in unison.

Tony observed her as she made her way to her desk. She had bags under her eyes, and her mood was bad. But for him, she was beautiful, even like that. She sensed his stare on her and glanced quickly across at Tony to see what he was doing. He had that idiot grin on his face which she had always loved on him. But at that moment, she was so mad at him for not staying at her place the night before that she wanted to strangle him. Seeing the way she was looking at him, Tony's grin faded. He knew very well that if he kept smiling at her like that, he would be stabbed to death from the whole of Ziva's knife collection in the next couple of minutes. Tony sank in his chair and returned to his work fearing bodily harm while Ziva kept staring at him for few seconds.

'If that Zoe had asked you to stay overnight at her place you would have done it. I bet you would have, Tony. I bet you would have,' she thought, boiled with anger, before she turned her attention back to her computer so she could turn it on and start working.

The hours passed and Tony informed Gibbs about his conversation with Vance, and the result of it, something that left the silver-haired ex-marine pleased. His team would be remained united and he couldn't be happier. However, Ziva's mood during the whole day wasn't good and she wasn't talking to Tony at all. Tony wanted to revitalize her morale, so he started teasing her by throwing paper balls in an attempt to make her speak to him, but, unfortunately, it had the opposite results.

"Six balls, seven balls," Tony continued counting with a grin on his face, but Ziva tried not to pay attention to Tony's childish behavior. "Eight balls, ni-"

"STOP IT!" Ziva shouted at him. "I can't stand you being so childish, Dinozzo!" she exclaimed. "I just can't!" she continued shouting and made her way toward the elevator. Tony followed her and when the doors were about to close he stopped them and stepped into the elevator with her. As the elevator started moving, Tony pulled the switch.

"Ok, what the hell is going on?" he asked, a little frustrated.

"I can't stand you, Tony! I can't stand your….childish behavior at the office, and...and your unconcerned for me! For our relationship!" she said, angry.

"First of all, my behavior at the office was childish to make you laugh and secondly, I do care for you and our relationship." he defended himself.

"Oh, really? That's why you left last night even though I practically begged you to stay?" she asked, furious.

"So that's what this is about? Who's childish now? Me or you? Who you are acting like? A spoiled little girl whose daddy didn't get her the present that she wanted, huh?" he answered in the same tone as hers.

"So, am I a spoiled little girl because I want the man of my life sleeping next to me every night and kissing good morning every day before my day starts? Because I want my boyfriend to move in with me but apparently he doesn't?" Her outburst was endless.

Tony's jaw dropped. Did she really want him to move in with her? Because that was the thing that tortured him every night when he was away from her. Because he wanted to kiss her goodnight every night and kiss her good morning every morning, having those beautiful brown eyes locked on his every morning.

"This is a big step, Ziva," he said, sighing, and rubbed his face, desperate. But when he was about to continue, she cut him off.

"I see that you are not too fond of this relationship. Maybe all of this was wrong," sje said, disappointed, ready to pull the switch on.

That was when the realization hit him like a ton of bricks. She had taken his words the wrong way.

"Whoa, my ninja wait. You didn't let me finish," he defended himself, preventing her from reaching the switch. "Yes, it's a big step. And I was afraid that you didn't want me to move in with you and that we couldn't make it work. And after that mess with Vance, I was scared that you would say 'no'," he explained.

"Did you really think that I would say 'no'?" she asked in disbelief.

He nodded.

"You are such an idiot, do you know that?" she stated as a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"Yeah, maybe I am," he said with a grin. "But I'm also madly in love with you," he went on and, pushing Ziva against the metal wall, gave her a hungry kiss.

"Mmmm," she moaned into the kiss.

Breaking the kiss, he moved his lips down to her neck. "Tony," she breathed and closed her eyes, enjoying the contact that his lips made with her skin while she started playing with his hair. "Tony," she repeated.

"What?" he asked drunkenly, his voice muffled by his mouth being buried in her neck.

"Tony, as much as I'd like making out with you in the elevator all day…" She moaned from the pleasure she had from his teasing.

"What?" he asked again, moving a hand on her thigh, caressing it

"We should get back to work," she completed with difficulty.

"No." It was the only thing that he said, never stopping planting kisses on her neck. He pulled up her blouse, trying to take it off.

"Tony. Gibbs will be looking for us," she argued and he rolled his eyes.

"Fine," he groaned with frustration and pulled himself from her while she fixed her hair and her blouse that Tony had pulled up earlier "So, sweet cheeks," he went on as he turned to pull the switch back on, "is next weekend good to start moving in or not? I mean, I don't have a lot of stuff."

"Whenever you want, moi Petit mois. Whenever you want." It was the only she said, kissing him quickly before the elevator door opened.

Yeah they could definitely make it work.

* * *

The rest of the day just consisted of paperwork. It was almost evening and everyone was at the bullpen but Gibbs when Director Vance stepped down the stairs, making his way towards the elevator.

"I'll go down to Abby to see how she's doing," Ziva said to Tony out of nowhere and stood up from her desk, running towards the elevator before he managed to answer. She made it just in time before the doors completely closed. She slid her body in, just like Tony had done a few hours ago, and entered the elevator along with Vance. When the elevator started moving, she pulled the switch off and locked her eyes on her Director with anger.

"I have a feeling that this conversation won't be pleasant, Agent David," Vance stated, annoyed with Ziva keeping her eyes locked on him.

"Does the file contain my name, Director?" Ziva asked, concerned.

"You don't have to worry," Vance answered sternly and tried to pull the switch on, but she stepped between him and the cool metal wall to prevent him from reaching for it.

"Does the file contain my name?" She repeated the question more intensely.

"Yes," he replied, sighing. "Look, I never thought a text would upset you so much. But, like I told you, don't worry."

"It's not only about the text…but…"

"Ziva," Vance interrupted her, "a deal is a deal. You helped me, I helped you. End of story," he went on. "Your secret is safe with me. Besides, the file is indicated and sealed as Classified.

"You know very well that this is not a guarantee. Do you want me to remind you about your mission in Amsterdam-" but she was cut off by him.

"I told you, you don't have to worry about me or the file. I had the opportunity to give the file or to tell the whole truth to your team, to Agent DiNozzo. But I didn't, ok? Maybe you should worry about someone else."

"She won't say anything. She promised me," she said without hesitation.

"Then this conversation is worthless," he said and pulled the switch on. The elevator started to move. "However, I think you should tell them the truth. Especially Agent DiNozzo. If he really loves you, he will understand. Don't screw this up by keeping secrets again. Goodbye, Agent David. See you tomorrow," he said and stepped out of the elevator once the doors had opened.

As the doors closed, Ziva leaned against the wall, sighing. Vance was right. The only thing that secrets caused her was trouble. However, telling the truth could shatter her relationship with Tony into thousand pieces. And this time, for good.

* * *

"Ziva!" Abby shouted happily and ran to give a crushing hug to Israeli woman as soon as she had entered the lab.

"Abby, I can't breathe," Ziva said with difficulty and Abby loosened her grip on her friend.

"You look sick. What's wrong with you?" the Goth scientist asked with worry as she pulled away and looked at her.

After her conversation with Vance in the elevator, the upset look on Ziva's face was obvious. In combination with her sleeplessness the night before, she was a wreck. "I'm not upset, Abby," Ziva denied, knowing that she couldn't tell her friend the truth. "I didn't sleep last night, that's all," she explained and a sly smile formed on Abby's face. "What?" Ziva questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You know what," Abby implied. "He didn't let you sleep all night, did he? Oh, Tony, Tony, Tony, you're a very, very naughty boy," she went on playfully.

"Abby!" Ziva shouted, laughing, trying to stop Abby's endless stream of words.

"Oh, come on, Ziva, don't be shy!" Abby exclaimed. "It's completely normal for you two new lovebirds to-"

"Abby!" Ziva repeated and her cheeks turned to red. "The reason I stayed awake was completely different from whatever you imply!"

"Ok, ok, I quit," Abby said, holding her hands up in surrender. She sat on a chair, smiling. "What did keep you awake, then, if it wasn't Tony?" she asked.

Ziva sat on a chair next to her friend and sighed before she spoke. "Last night, I couldn't sleep because Tony went to his apartment and…and I missed him," she confessed shyly.

"Oh, that's so sweet! He's grown on you that much?" Abby responded, smiling at her friend's confession.

"Yes!" Ziva replied without hesitation. "So much that when he's not next to me, when I can't see him, it's like…"

"Like your soul is empty, sad and everything around you in the world has no meaning," Abby continued. "But when he's next you and you see him..."

"You feel contented but, most of all, safe, even if you are not in danger. But the feeling to have someone who cares for you so much makes you special and…loved," Ziva completed, smiling, lost deep in her thoughts as she remembered that night on the Tel Aviv tarmac when she called Tony like that.

"Yeah," the Goth scientist confirmed "We are so in love with our guys that we have started to depend on them too much," she went on, plastering on a shining smile.

"I depend so much on Tony that I'm ready to go to the next level with him," Ziva stated and her friend looked at her quizzically. "I asked him to move in with me."

"And?" Abby asked impatiently.

"He told me that he was considering asking me the same thing! So we're going for it!" Ziva replied, smiling.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Abby squealed and threw herself into Ziva's arms.

"Abby, Abby," the Israeli woman said with difficulty. "I…I can't breathe."

"I'm so sorry but I'm so happy for you!" Abby cheered as she pulled away from Ziva and clapped her hands like a five-year-old on Christmas. "You both have been through a lot all these years, especially these last two ones." Placing her palm on Ziva's knee, she continued, "You both deserve happiness and I'm happy from the bottom of my heart that you have finally found it in each other."

"I know, Abby, I know and thank you. Thank you so much," Ziva said and placed her hand over Abby's.

"You don't have to thank family, Ziva," Abby said without hesitation. "Now shoo! Go to your man! Gibbs has probably called it quits for today!" the Goth girl motioned for Ziva to get up from the chair and head for the elevator and Ziva happily obliged to her friend's request.

"Abby, can I ask you something?" Ziva asked, tilting her head to face her friend.

"Anything," Abby answered without hesitation, smiling.

Ziva returned to her chair and sat back, facing her friend. "Tony told me the other day that he had a relationship with a woman named Zoe…Did you meet her?"

Abby's face became pale at hearing that name after all this time. The events that followed because of that woman after Tony had broken up with her hadn't been pleasant for either him or the team. She wondered why Tony had mentioned his relationship with Zoe to Ziva when everyone had agreed to leave that nightmare behind. To pretend that that relationship had never existed.

"Abby, are you all right?" Ziva asked with worry and Abby jumped when she felt her friend's touch on her arm, as she had been completely lost in her thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm alright," the woman lied, smiling lightly. "Ziva," Abby started with a serious tone and hesitation. "What…what did Tony tell you exactly about…about Zoe?"

Ziva shrugged. "That they were in relationship in the Police Academy and when they met again they were friends with benefits at the beginning and then it turned into a relationship. But Tony told me it didn't work. Why? Is something wrong, Abby?" she questioned with worry.

"No, nothing. It just...I met that woman because she's an ATF Agent, now, and we worked together sometimes," Abby replied, trying not to show how uncomfortable she was with the conversation. However, Ziva was not fooled. She knew that Abby was hiding something.

"You are not telling me the whole truth," Ziva stated seriously. "You are hiding something. All of you are hiding something. You had never mentioned Zoe as Tony's girlfriend before and now that I'm asking you, you are uncomfortable. What's wrong? What are you hiding from me? Why did Tony break up with her?" Ziva started to question Abby with a raised voice.

"Easy, easy! One question at a time," Abby said, trying to calm Ziva. "First of all, we are not hiding anything. It just…we didn't mention anything about her because she meant nothing to Tony."

"But he said-" Ziva started, but Abby cut her off.

"You know a 'serious relationship' means to Tony. He was going out for a month or had second date with the same girl and that was serious for him," she explained. The Israeli woman eyed her. "Well, besides you," Abby clarified. "As for Zoe, he broke up with her because he didn't love her. He was in love with you. Trust me, Ziva, this is the truth, this is the whole truth and we aren't hiding anything from you," she went on, trying to reassure Ziva.

"Ok. I better get going, then. Goodnight, Abby," Ziva said and stood up from her chair, not convinced by the Goth scientist. She knew that something was wrong and that the whole team was keeping something hidden from her about that woman and her relationship with Tony. However, she decided to drop it for now.

"Good night, Ziva," Abby said and, as soon as the woman was out sight, sighed from desperation. "Oh, Tony," the scientist mumbled, running a hand on her face. "What you were thinking? Are you suicidal or something?" she went on and took her hippo into her arms, hugging it tightly. "I know what you are thinking, Bert, I know," she murmured with worry. "Things might not end up well between Tony and Ziva after all."

* * *

**Why Abby thinks that Tony's and Ziva's relationship will not end up well because of Zoe and what Tony and team might hide from Ziva? Let me know what you think. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note **

**You know I'm a person who always says what thinks even if my words are not likeable sometimes, but that's who I am. Truth to be told at the beginning I was hesitant to write this Author's note but then I changed my mind. To some people the words and opinions that will follow might not likeable but whatever….**

**Anyway, some comments on Twitter revealed some not so good things about some TIVA 'fans'. My comment on that is "Either you are TIVA or not" there is no mid situation. You can't be a TIVA fan but at the same time you are not so fond of Cote's/Ziva's return on NCIS. I'm all for Cote to return on NCIS at least for TIVA, and I would do whatever I can through my comments on Twitter and Facebook**

**I want a strong and united TIVA fandom so it will have a strong word for Cote's return…Because this fandom has force and if it is united it can make miracles. Writing those words I wanted to make known how I feel, having only one request though. Don't comment the Author's Note on your reviews but only the story. If you want to express your opinion for the above you can send me PM.**

**Anyway, back to the story**

**To Debbie:**** "Oh Boy" Debbie you will use that line for many future chapters trust me.**

**To Guest: ****The secret about Zoe is huge but this the only thing that I can say for the moment so there will be a real Cliffhanger not like Gary's.**

**To Guest: ****who reviewed 5 times just to bash Ziva and my story. I don't care for your and haters' opinions. Because I know that it's pointless for me to try changing your minds, so you should stop hating Ziva. Probably, watching her character on the show for 8 years you don't even bother even for few seconds to put yourselves in her shoes, so you should find out how she felt. As for the characterizations of the story as 'dumb' and 'nothing', thank you. When these kind of characterizations are coming from you, it means that I'm doing amazing job on writing TIVA stories with suspense.**

**Specials thanks **

**To Laitie:**** my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…**

**To all of you that favorited reviewed and followed that story**

**The three-chapter arc which will follow is dedicated to my friend and 'sister' Tereza who is tolerating my constant personal meltdowns, whining, frustrations not only the past few days but all this time we know each other. And of course, for the fact that she's consulting and supporting my story. Thanks sis….and good luck on your finals.**

**Disclaimer: If I had owned it, season 11 &amp; 12 wouldn't have been total disasters.**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

"That's the last one," Tony said as he placed the last box in Ziva's spare room. It had been two weeks since they had decided to move in together. With her being an owner of a five bedroom house, they did not to rush in putting his stuff where it belonged. All he had taken with him were his clothes, his movie collection, and his home cinema. And of course, his piano and fishbowl that acquired prominent positions in Ziva's living room. The rest of his stuff was placed in a storage unit.

"This is nice," she said to him and looked at him leaning on the doorframe, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Yes it is," he said and wiped the dust from his hands on his work clothes.

"I think you should bring your bed too," she continued, making him raise an eyebrow. "So we can make one of these rooms a guestroom," she clarified.

He approached her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I don't think my bed is suitable for a guestroom," he said, grinning.

"Why not?" she protested. "It's comfy enough to sleep in, to make love in..." she whispered seductively into his ear. She couldn't get enough of him. Every time he was next her, she was full of fire. The day before, she had tried to seduce him in the men's room, but an Agent interrupted them, trying to open the locked door. Tony was ready to answer, but his phone rang, making Ziva roll her eyes and groan with frustration.

"DiNozzo...I see...yeah, yeah, we're on our way," he said into the phone and ended the call. "That was Gibbs." he turned to her. "Dead Petty Officer. Grab your gear!" he said to her, mimicking Gibbs and giving her a quick kiss on the lips. Ziva gave him a light slap on the chest as he made his way out of the room.

"Stop mimicking Gibbs!" she protested, a little annoyed, but following him outside the room.

* * *

"You got here faster than I thought," Gibbs said, surprised.

"You know how it is when Ziva drives, Boss; there are practically no traffic lights. Ouch! What was that for?" he asked, annoyed, as he received an elbow to his stomach from his girlfriend.

"That's because-" she tried to defend herself angrily, but Gibbs cut her off.

"Enough!" he barked. "Go to work and stop behaving like children!" Without any further lecture, Gibbs and the pair headed towards the crime scene. Bishop and McGee followed not far behind with Ducky and Palmer.

"Meet Petty Officer Michael Marconi. McGee, bag and tag. Ziva, photos. Ellie, sketches. DiNozzo, witnesses," Gibbs barked and the Agents obeyed.

"What have we got, Duck?" Gibbs asked, approaching the ME.

"Three gunshots, Jethro. Two straight in the heart," Ducky said, pointing to the two wounds on the Petty Officer's body. "It takes me back to Medical School when-"

"Time of death, Duck," Gibbs said, sighing, in an effort to stop one of Ducky's endless stories.

"According the body temperature, about 3 hours ago, Jethro. I'll be more accurate about the hour and cause of death after the autopsy," the Scottish man clarified, and Gibbs nodded.

"What's it like babysitting Tony 24/7?" Ellie asked Ziva, and both girls burst into laughter, making McGee snap his head in their direction.

"I can't say that he is acting like a baby..." she said honestly. "Sometimes he acts childish, but they are other times that he acts so mature that he surprises me," she added honestly.

"He started growing up the year before you left. You remember, right? With the explosion, and the other events that happened afterwards. But he became more mature during your two-year absence." McGee interrupted them. That caught both girls' attention, especially Ziva's. "He had some moments that he was completely childish, but most of the time he was very serious. He also worked diligently at his job," he continued, holding an evidence bag. "And he stopped the stupid pranks and jokes," he confessed. "Your leaving changed him." Ziva was ready to say something, but Gibbs approached them with Tony.

"Boss, we're ready," McGee said. "We found his wallet with money in it. It's definitely personal," the young Agent noted.

"Grab the evidence and go back to the Navyard," Gibbs barked.

Everyone made their way to their cars, but Tony sensed that something was off with Ziva. She wasn't smiling. He stopped her before she entered the car, asking her what had happened. McGee's words, truth to be told, had affected Ziva. She had loved the goofy Tony, the one with the movie references and the stupid pranks. Who teased her, made her laugh and corrected her English. But that Tony had gone. He didn't exist anymore. Yes, he was still teasing her and he still made her laugh, but it was different. Tony was different. And it was because of her. Because of her leaving. Masking her sadness, Ziva turned her head towards Tony and told him was everything ok, that everything was fine and gave him a passionate kiss for reassurance. That was when that something unexpected happened

_*smack*_

Two head slaps landed, one to each head, making two pairs of eyes to open wide with surprise. Gibbs was ready to say something, but he was interrupted by McGee.

"OH, MY GOD! Boss, did you just head slap them? You haven't slapped anyone for 2 and half years!" he exclaimed.

"Well, they played grab-assing in the field!" Gibbs said and he made his way away from the couple pretending to be angry.

Neither Tony nor Ziva complained about the head slaps. On the contrary, they were happy because it showed that he was the old good Gibbs again.

"Welcome back, Boss!" Tony shouted with a huge smile while he was keeping a smiling Ziva in his arms. McGee was grinning like an idiot while Bishop had her eyes wide open at the thought that one day she might be head slapped, too.

Gibbs just chuckled. Yes he was back. Because his family was complete again and happy and he couldn't be happier about that.

* * *

"Petty officer Michael Marconi age 36," Tony said.

"Single, one brother named Christopher," Ziva added.

"Two tours in Iraq, one in Afghanistan," Bishop continued.

''He was staying in his apartment, which is four blocks from his brother's house and few blocks from the crime scene. It was part of his usual morning run," McGee completed.

"The witness told me that he usually went at 7a.m for a run. Never at noon. She has particular hours when she goes on a run and she never met him there during the time line that Ducky told us. She also told me that she met him a lot of times the last couple of months and he was definitely not dressed in his uniform," Tony said.

"So this might not be the primary scene. He might have gotten shot somewhere else," Bishop concluded.

"McGee, I want to you find out if he had any enemies in his unit," Gibbs ordered. "Ziva, Dinozzo," he went on, barking to the pair, "I want you to search his apartment inch by inch in case that's the primary crime scene. Then find out if he had enemies in his neighborhood. Bishop and I will pay a visit to the brother. Maybe he knows something that might help us."

Everybody rushed to the elevator to begin their tasks.

"Thanks!" Tony told the building manager who led him and Ziva into Marconi's apartment. The building manager nodded and closed the door behind him "Nice apartment. He had good taste for a bachelor," the SFA observed, crossing his arms in front of his chest and glancing around the room.

"It's like yours. The only difference is that you had pizza boxes and beer cans all over the place," Ziva commented, wandering around the living room.

"Hey! I was keeping my apartment clean!" he protested and she chuckled.

"I'm just teasing you!" she smiled, looking at him. "I loved your apartment. The decoration you had made it too…homey."

"That's because my godmother decorated it," he answered back and snapped on a pair of gloves.

"She had good taste, then," she said and took some snap-shots of the living room.

"Yeah, she was one of the few women who walked into that apartment. For your information, the only girls that stepped into it were you and E.J.," he revealed and she snapped her head in his direction.

"E.J. was at your apartment?!" she asked standing in her tracks surprised. "I thought I was the only one who had the honour of stepping into it, of sleeping and making love on that…twin bed with you," she hissed.

"No, you misunderstood…" Tony tried to explain and made few steps towards her

"Did you also sleep with that Joe on that bed?" the Israeli woman asked, frustrated, making few steps back when Tony approached her and he sighed.

'Zoe, her name is Zoe,' Tony thought, fearing bodily harm from his girlfriend if he corrected her out loud. He was cursing himself over that night that he talked to Ziva about the stupidity he had done with his ex-partner one year ago. But he had wanted to be honest with her. Well, as much as he could be. Secrets and lies were why they had wasted so much time. They led Ziva to stay in Israel and away from him for over two years. He wanted a fresh start with their relationship, and honesty is always #1 to make this kind of thing work. He had thought, once, to tell her the whole truth. However, as civilized and understanding Ziva was that night when Tony had told her about Zoe, she got more possessive and jealous afterwards. So he had no choice but to lie to her. Because Zoe, indeed, had stepped into his apartment and she had, indeed, slept and done some other stuff with him on that bed.

"Whoa, Ziva wait. First of all I told you, the only, and I mean the ONLY girls who ever stepped into my apartment were you and EJ. And secondly, I said that EJ stepped into, not slept, ok? There is a big difference," he defended him, lying as he made few steps towards her with Ziva staying still on her spot.

"Yeah, right," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "EJ came into your apartment and you didn't…" she trailed off.

"No, we didn't. And you do know why? Because of you. Back then, your situation with Ray was a little messy and I'd had hopes that you and me might have a chance...The only thing I did with EJ was to talk to her the first time and have a dinner the second time. Nothing more," he explained.

"Really?" she asked in disbelief.

Tony wrapped his arms around her, so he could calm her. "Yes. The only woman who slept on that bed was you. No one else. Ok?" he said, smiling, before he opened his eyes wide as the realization dawned on him "Oh no! She also slept on that the…when…with Senior. Oh my God, Ziva, why did you remind me of that? We should burn that bed! Not put it in our house!" he went on with frustration.

Ziva smiled and looked at him with shining eyes, something that made him raise an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked with confusion.

"I like what you just said…'_our house_'," she said with emphasis, and he smiled.

"I like it too," he answered back with a grin on his face and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Come on, we should go back to work. I just wanna get over with this case. We haven't slept all night," he went on.

"I know," she said with complaint.

"That's why we have to search," he stated. "I'll check the kitchen. You check the bedroom," he continued, gesturing towards the bedroom.

"Right," she said, rolling her eyes and making her way towards the bedroom with him observing her.

Shutting his eyes, Tony cursed himself for lying to her; again. The complication in his relationship with Zoe hadn't left him another choice. He had to either lie to Ziva or shatter her heart into pieces with the truth. He made his way to kitchen lost deep in his thoughts and started his search.

'You're not going to get away from this, DiNozzo,' he thought. 'It's vicious cycle which only leads to more and more lies. Just hope Zoe doesn't show up again.'

"It appears that Marconi had a lady friend before he died last night," Ziva called through the room and dragged Tony from his thoughts. "I found the semen and some hair on the bed," she went on, taking samples. He made his way from the kitchen to the bathroom to check on the trash. After that, he headed towards the bedroom.

"No condom, no DNA from the possible killer," he sighed.

"We have some hair though," she said and she raised the evidence bag in front of his face, smiling.

"They are red. Gibbs will love this," Tony said, grinning.

* * *

"Mr. Marconi" Bishop pronounced while she was sitting on the couch along with Gibbs "Tell us about your brother"

"What can I say?" Christopher started "He wanted to serve his country, the Stars and Stripes since he was a child" he went on with a sad smile "and I was admiring him for that. I wish I had his abilities to become like him than working as a simple town hall clerk" he continued. "I can't believe he's gone!" Christopher said devastated. "Who would kill Michael?"

"That's why we are here. Do you know if he had any enemies?" Bishop asked while Gibbs stood up from the couch and made his way to the fireplace to see the family photos. There were several photos of the brother with the victim and a beautiful, red-haired woman.

"Listen, my brother wasn't a saint, but I can't think anyone who would like to kill him, ok? And he never mentioned anyone who might have problem with him. Neither in his neighborhood nor his unit," the brother said and when he turned his head, he noticed Gibbs staring at the photos.

"That's my wife, Laura. We have been married for 4 years. We just started trying for a baby," Christopher informed Gibbs.

"I wish you all the best then," Gibbs said and Christopher nodded his thanks.

"Look, if you remember anything, please contact us," Bishop said as she handed Christopher a card, standing up from the couch.

"Sure," it was the only thing he said and he escorted the agents outside the door.

"I don't think he's telling the whole truth, Gibbs" Bishop said and opened the passenger's door of the Agency's car. "I think that he might not be telling the truth at all," she went on and sat on the passenger's seat, closing the door.

"Why do you say that?" Gibbs asked and put his keys into the ignition, turning the car engine on.

"His eyes," Bishop answered and locked her eyes on Gibbs'. "They were saying quite the opposite than his mouth. He's lying, Gibbs. I'm sure it. He's lying," the young Agent confessed without hesitation.

"Let's see what evidence comes up with first," Gibbs said and started to drive while the only that the young woman did was nod.

* * *

After they got back to the Navyard and dropped the evidence off, Tony and Ziva were informed by Gibbs about a suspect. It was another Petty Officer named Matthew Stokes. McGee found out that he had lost a little fortune by Marconi in a poker game. Marconi also had slept with Stokes' girlfriend McGee and Bishop took over the interrogation while Tony and Ziva were at the observation room.

"Show time!" Tony said in a childish way, and Ziva rolled her eyes while McGee and Bishop sat across the table from Stokes in Interrogation room.

"Why am I here?" Stokes asked, confused.

"Do you know this guy?" Bishop pointed to the dead guy's photo. "He was found shot to death yesterday," she continued.

"You think I shot Michael?" Stokes answered with surprise.

That was when Gibbs entered the observation room. "Hey, Boss, is everything ok?" Tony asked.

"Nothing is ok, DiNozzo, until we solve the case," the former marine answered sternly. "What did I miss?" he asked.

"Nothing, it's just started," Ziva replied.

"Well you lost a game of poker with him." McGee cut himself off to look at his notes. "16 grand," he continued "It's a considerable amount of money, isn't it?" he asked.

"Plus," Bishop continued," he slept with your girlfriend."

In the meantime, in the observation room, the team was discussing the case.

"What did Abby say about the weapon?" Tony asked.

"9 millimeters, two shots in the heart, one on the left shoulder," Gibbs said.

"The victim owned a gun with the same caliber, but we didn't find it in his house," Ziva added.

In the meantime, in the interrogation room, Stokes started to answer McGee and Bishop's questions. "Yes, I lost money a game of poker with him. Yes, he slept with my girlfriend. But I wouldn't kill him for those things. It's not worth going to jail for a bastard like him," he stated.

"And why is that?" Bishop asked.

"Because everybody hated that guy. He was selfish, he wanted everything for himself. He was capable of anything, in my opinion. It's not worth killing a guy like him," Stokes continued.

"Where were you between 14:00 and 17:00 yesterday?" McGee asked and Stokes' face faded.

"I was..." He couldn't say as a lump was created in his throat. "I was at my girlfriend's funeral," he managed to say with difficulty. "Car crash outside Baltimore the day before," he clarified. "Listen," he continued as he tried to keep his tears at bay. "Irina made a mistake, but she loved me. We loved each other. I forgave her. We had dreams together," he continued as sobs started to fill the interrogation room while Bishop and McGee said nothing.

"I'll go to check his alibi," Ziva said, back in the observation room, and exited the room.

"So the red-haired woman isn't Irina," Tony stated.

"Wait," Gibbs said, "did you just say red-haired woman?"

"Yeah. Ziva found some red hair in his bed along with semen. He'd had company the night before. Why? Didn't Abby tell you?" Tony asked, confused.

"No, she didn't," Gibbs replied. "And guess what, DiNozzo. I know a red-haired who has a connection with the victim," he said. Tony looked anxious to find out who that woman was. "Laura, his brother's wife," Gibbs continued.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Boss?" Tony asked, but Gibbs didn't say anything while he stepped out of the observation room, concerned. Things were more complicated than he thought.

* * *

**Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think**


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note **

**Familiar Faces are back quicker than I thought thanks to Laitie I will update for second week in the row. Thank you very much girl…Anyway, this week I don't have anything to say, so let's continue straight to our story.**

**To Guest:**** Most of the lies don't have a happy ending but Tony doesn't want to hurt Ziva, even if there is possibility to happen in the end. Tony for the time being is calm about his secret but there will be moments that he will feel guilt for keeping it hidden from Ziva until the secret will be revealed to her, if it ever will be.**

**To Guest: ****Don't worry. Tony doesn't have a baby with the substitute. God should helped us if he was. One person like her is more than enough on Earth (I'm talking about the character not the actress). The secret concerns his relationship with the Ziva substitute and its details.**

**To Guest:**** Of course a grown woman like Ziva wants wild, hungry, passionate sex. What I wanted to show through the 'gentle' way that Tony treats Ziva is, that he doesn't see her like a piece of meat, like he was seeing his one-night stands, EJ or more recently the Ziva substitute, a woman who can handcuff on a bed. Ziva is more important than those women, she's the woman of his life and he wants to show it on her. And don't forget Ziva is also a woman who had an ordeal for 4 months on a terrorist camp and on the story Tony is the only and the first man who is interacting with her after this 'experience'. I want to clarify that the fact that there is no intense interaction between them yet, doesn't mean that there won't be any in the future**

**To Guest:**** Ziva felt jealousy on many episodes considering Tony's 'girls'. On Season 7 in "Obsession" where Tony was obsessed with the reporter who died eventually, Ziva's jealousy was obvious. Same thing happened on Season 8 on the episode where she's discussing with Ray about EJ, or the scene with Tony at the bar where Tony tells her that his 'relationship' with EJ works for him just fine (I don't remember the titles of the episodes). On the season 9 when Tony's ex-fiancé, Wendy, appears, we can see Ziva's annoyance for her presence and of course on early seasons when Tony had different girls including Jeanne. My point is that Ziva can easily jealous on Tony , especially after her two year absence where we met a new Ziva who expresses her feelings easier, a new Ziva who is more open to people. This Ziva can be jealous on her boyfriend I think especially when he tells her that during her absence he had a friend with benefits who turned into something more serious afterwards. And don't worry. I respect my reviewers' opinion as long as there is no bashing. **

**To Debbie:**** Thank you for your review. I'm glad you like it the fact that I write other things on the story than things which concerns the TIVA relationship. I try to have more moments, besides TIVA.**

**Specials thanks **

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story. Congratulations for your finals and your graduation. I wish you the best on your post student life And by the way, you indeed deserve the dedication sis, and much more, trust me.**

**To Laitie:**** my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…Countless thank you for the quick editing.**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed and followed that story**

**Disclaimer: If I had owned it, Cote De Pablo wouldn't have left the show**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

The case took a new turn. Stokes had, indeed, been at his girlfriend's funeral at the time of murder. However, the fact that Laura, the victim's sister-in law, was possibly the girlfriend and murderer made things more complicated. Ziva and Tony picked her up from her house while McGee, with Bishop, had searched it. Now, Laura was sitting across from a very determined Leroy Jethro Gibbs, ready to interrogate her

"Why am I here?" Laura asked, pretty scared.

"Where were you yesterday between 14:00 and 17:00?" Gibbs asked the woman determinedly.

"I was in my house," Laura answered simply.

"Do you have anyone who can vouch for that?" Gibbs questioned coldly.

"I…I was alone," she replied.

"We found this in your brother-in-law's bed," Gibbs said, pointing to the evidence bag which contained the hair."Red hair," he went on. Red hair in your brother-in-law's bed. Your dead brother-in-law's bed," he clarified, and Laura looked at him, scared

"They're not mi-" but Gibbs interrupted her.

"We can run your DNA and I'm 100% sure that you will match with the hairs," the ex-marine explained without hesitating at all. "And we have a warrant to take a sample of it."

"Ok," she started. "I went over the day before to clean his house. I always did that once a week," she said, her voice trembling.

"We found your hair in his bed, Laura. Along with his semen. Don't lie to me," Gibbs said sternly.

"Wait, you think I was sleeping with him?" she asked, surprised. "I would never, never do that to Christopher...I love him," she said with a cracked voice. Gibbs, for some strange reason, believed her. But the woman was hiding something. It was something that he couldn't put his finger on. "Oh, God! It wasn't supposed to be like this," the woman said, sobbing, and buried her face in her hand.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked, touching her hand on the table. She pulled away like electricity had hit her.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed through the sobs, her tears rolling down her cheeks. Gibbs couldn't understand what he had done, what had happened, and Laura curled up in the chair like a little scared kid. "Just...just stay away..." she continued moving her body forward and back like a swing… "Stay away." That was when a knock on the door made the woman flinch, but Gibbs quickly reassured her that no-one was going to hurt her. The door opened, revealing McGee.

"Boss, sorry for interrupting, but Christopher Marconi is here. He found out that his wife was here for questioning and came." The Agent hesitated. "But there's more." he added and Gibbs threw a glare at him to continue. "He just confessed to the murder of his brother, and he's in Interrogation Room 2 with Tony."

"Stay with her!" It was the only thing that Gibbs said, and he rushed out of the room, pushing McGee away. Yeah, this was definitely going to be a long evening.

* * *

Tony and Bishop were sitting across from Christopher Marconi in the interrogation room. Since they were in a relationship, Ziva preferred to be in the observation room admiring the interrogation skills of the man she was in love with rather than assisting him. Although she never admitted it to anyone, not even Tony, she had always been proud to be called his partner. Now that he was also her partner in her life outside of work, she couldn't be prouder. Her attention during those thoughts were turned toward Marconi, whose face was expressionless while his hands were placed on the table. Bishop and Tony looked each other before the SFA started to talk.

"So, Mr. Marconi" hearing his name, the man snapped his head in Tony's direction. "Why did you kill your brother?"

"Because he was a selfish bastard" it was the only thing that Christopher said in reply.

Ziva was smiling, watching Tony during the interrogation. He was so handsome that day in that suit. She couldn't wait for this day to come to an end so they could go home and Tony would be all hers. How did she manage to live away from him for 2 years? She had been so stupid. Very stupid. But this time, she was sure of one thing. She wouldn't screw it up. She would do everything to stay with him forever, no matter what. No one and nothing would keep them apart again. Ziva was lost, deep i thoughts. So deep in thought was she that she jumped a little when Gibbs entered the observation room.

"Hey." It was the only thing Ziva said to him.

"Just found out about Laura's husband," Gibbs told her.

"He came in like a maniac and told us that his wife didn't kill Michael, that he was the one who shot him," she explained. "What did Laura say?"

"Let's see what Marconi has to say, first, and then I'll tell you," Gibbs said.

In the meantime, in the interrogation room, Christopher continued his statement. "He had everything...my parents' love, better girls, money," he said. "After he joined the Navy, he became more arrogant than he ever was and he was humiliating me. I'm just a town hall clerk."

"And sleeping with your wife humiliated you more than ever," Bishop concluded and Marconi looked at her. "We found red hair in yours brother's bed, along with his semen. Hair that belongs to your wife, is that right?"

Burying his face in his hands and shaking his head, Marconi answered with hurt. "I wish..." His voice cracked. "I wish he would have slept with her instead of..." he cut himself off.

"Instead of what, Christopher?" Tony asked with a soft voice.

Christopher raised his head and locked his tearful eyes on Tony's. "Raped her." it was the only thing he said, and Bishop turned her head to look at Tony, her eyes wide from surprise, not believing what Marconi had just said. Tony didn't take his eyes of him, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. After Somalia, every time he heard that word, or had a case with rape, Tony boiled with anger. Guilt about what had happened that night in Ziva's apartment with Rivkin, and the summer that followed, always came back to haunt him, torture him. Despite his ability to mask it with his goofy behavior.

In the meantime, in the observation room, Gibbs did the same thing as Bishop and turned to look at Ziva, who stayed emotionless about Christopher's statement and focused on the interrogation. He knew what her mind was thinking. Yes, it went back in time, during that terrible summer and what had happened in Somalia. But she was also thinking about Tony and how guilty he still felt about it. She and Tony had talked about it several times, with Ziva trying to convince him that it was her behavior that made Gibbs let her, back in Israel, to go on that mission and please her father. But deep down, she knew that Tony would never stop blaming himself on the fact the ex-marine chose him over her.

Christopher's voice brought all of them back to reality as he continued his statement. "I had arranged to go for a drink with some friends that day after work and I told her to go alone to Michael's apartment," he said with a cracked voice. "She told me to go with her that day or the day after," he added. Tony didn't say a word looking at the wall blankly clenching his hand into a fist. Ziva sensed through the observation room that this case was affecting him. She could feel it, watching his face during the interrogation, and she knew the reason why. He had started feeling guilty about Somalia again.

"A few hours later," Christopher went on, "she called me in tears and I asked her what had happened. She told me that she was still in Michael's apartment, that's all. I drove over there and went into his room and found her." he started sobbing. "With ripped clothes, crying, and her body full of bruises." Christopher broke, and after a few moments of crying, he started repeating one phrase over and over again. "It was my fault...It was my fault."

Tony's head was about to explode. The rest Christopher's statement was a blur to him. The only thing that was echoing in his mind was the man's phrase in Christopher's voice at the beginning and then his memories and images of Rivkin lying on Ziva's apartment shot to death came back. Ziva and he pointing guns at each other returned as a flashback in his mind. Ziva pointing her gun at his chest in Israel and the look she had when Saleem pulled the hood from her head started haunting him again. 'Oh my God, oh my God...what I have done?' Tony thought. 'She was tortured and raped because of me. How can she love me? How can she let me touch her?'

Ziva, watching through the glass, sensed that something off with Tony and turned her head in Gibbs' direction. "Get Tony out of there now," she told him with terror in her voice. The silver-haired man tried to process what Ziva meant, but his thoughts were interrupted by Tony, who pushed the chair back with such a force that it fell over and rushed out of the interrogation room, leaving behind a surprised and speechless Bishop looking at the door.

"Tony!" Ziva shouted, rushing out of the observation room. She ran down the hallway to prevent Tony from leaving on the elevators. She didn't care that she had left behind a speechless Gibbs back in the room. She only cared for Tony and his mental state that moment. "Tony!" she shouted again, trying to prevent him from entering the elevator but it was too late. Tony was already in it and Ziva was pressing the call button of the elevator frantically to stop it. It was without success, though. Running down the stairs to the parking lot, she made it just in time to see Tony's car disappearing into the darkness. "Tony." It was the only thing she said, he voice barely above a whisper as she was breathing heavily from running down the stairs with worry. They were happy now. This was not how things were supposed to happen.

* * *

**Sorry for the short chapter, but most of all for the too 'easy' case. I'm sorry but I don't know how to write case fics. Anyway, where did Tony go? Will Ziva search for him and if she does, will she find him? Let me know what you think.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note **

**Hello readers. Familiar Faces are back. **

**Thanks for the feedback. I'll do my best not to disappoint you in future chapters. Anyway, I don't know what else to say so, let's continue to the story**

**To Guest:**** I totally agree with you. Ziva's PTSD should have been addressed on the show. I don't understand why it didn't. Either they scared that Ziva's character would be more likeable than Gibbs' or they didn't want, in their opinion not mine, the show to turn into a soap opera (it's completely different that it turned into to a soap opera the two last seasons though. The show runner has changed so the writers)**

**To Guest: ****Don't worry. This chapter will give you the answers about Ziva and Tony, and how both of them are dealing Somalia**

**To Debbie:**** Thank you for your review. I'm glad you like it the fact that I'm dealing with Ziva's PTSD. I was a little hesitant at the beginning about that matter but then I thought that if Ziva and Tony hadn't dealt with it their relationship wouldn't have moved forward properly.**

**Specials thanks **

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story. I own you many things. for the story, for the fact that you are my rock, my personal confessor. Whatever I say is not enough to describe the greatness of your heart. Thank you for eerything. Your favorite chapter is up sister…I hope you enjoy it. **

**To Laitie:**** my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…Countless thank you for tolerating me…**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed and followed that story**

**Disclaimer: If only I had owned it…**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

When he left the Navyard, Tony went to the bar where he went drinking the afternoon after the incident in the squad room when Adam had called. He ordered a glass of scotch and, taking the glass in one hand, he raised it and drank it all in one gulp. After that, he drank a another one, and another one. 'Drinking,' popped into his head. The only thing that made him forget all the problems he had had through the years. It helped him to forget them, not to solve them, though. But, still, even when he was drinking and forgetting for a while, the memories like Somalia and pain then came back to haunt and torture him again. 'Somalia,' Tony thought and took a sip of his drink before he buried his head between his arms and the bench. Every time he heard that place he was angry. He had been boiled with anger for Saleem, for Eli, for Rivkin but most of all for himself because of what had happened Ziva's apartment where he had shot the Mossad Officer to death. Tony took the last sip of his scotch and beckoned the bartender over for one more drink. Whether it was his fifth, sixth, or seventh drink, he didn't know. And, truth be told, it didn't matter. He just wanted to drink so he could forget.

"You promised Ziva that you would never drink again" a female voice echoed into his ears while he was raising his glass so could take a sip of his drink. He snapped his head in the direction of the voice and turned to cold at seeing who that woman was. Not believing in his eyes, the glass slipped from his hand and shattered into thousands of pieces on the floor.

"K...Ka...Kate?" it was the only thing that he managed to say.

"Boo" the brunette woman said and laughed loudly.

"You're dead...You're just a hallucination." he told her completely ignoring her existence and paying his attention to the glass of water which was still in front of him.

"Hallucination or not, I am still alive in your heart and your mind. So there will be times that you will see me" the woman said. "So, tell me, how are things going? Does Gibbs still head slap everyone to death?"

Tony didn't move or answer on her comment. "Come on, Tony! Don't you want to chat with me?! We could have had a drink together under other circumstances. Too bad I'm dead," she went on with a smirk. He turned his attention to her and gave her a look. "What? Do you have any idea how hard eternity is? How it is to not have the pleasures that life has?" she continued, eyeing with appreciation a handsome young man who was walking from the other side of the counter towards the exit.

Tony rolled his eyes and paid his attention back to the glass before he spoke. "So, what do you want from me?"

"What do you think?" she fired back, playing with her hair.

"It was all my fault" he said, sighing, and rubbed his face briefly with one hand.

"Somalia?" she asked, but he didn't answer and kept playing with the glass of water in his hands. Kate took his silence as confirmation. "It wasn't your fault" she tried to reassure him, leaning her elbows against the counter.

"How could you know that?...You weren't there!" he exclaimed. And turned his attention to the woman "I was the one who shot Rivkin in her apartment! I was the one who didn't drag her onto that damn plane when she decided to stay in Israel!" he went on, full of anger.

"I know what happened. And it was Gibbs who didn't drag her and left her there. She didn't want to stay in Israel."

"How...?" he started, and she interrupted him, explaining.

"I was there. That's how I know what happened. I'm everywhere you are when you need help and guidance. I'm your guardian angel. For both you and Ziva. You couldn't have done anything."

"Yes I could have," he insisted. "And if you are her guardian angel, why did you let them capture, torture and rape her?" he shouted at her with a cracked voice.

Kate's face dropped. "Some things you can't prevent, even if you wish you could," she told him, her tone apologetic. "But she's alive, and you have to understand that everything happens for a reason. That's what we call Fate" she continued.

He stared at the woman furious. "How can you say what happen…" but she cut him off.

"It is what it is, Tony. These things can't be explained. They are just meant to happen, ok?" she tried to explain with a raised voice "Do you think I wanted to die? Noooo. But I couldn't do anything about it either. Things were meant to happen this way and I accepted it, eventually."

"I wish I had died that night in her apartment" he confessed and buried his face in his hands briefly "If I had, Ziva would have never…" but she cut him off, angry.

"Man up, DiNozzo! What the hell is wrong you?" the woman hissed. "If I weren't dead, I would have head-slapped you by now. Whatever happened to Rivkin that night, he deserved it. Don't ever, ever question that. And don't you ever again think what would have happened if you had been on Rivkin's place. You got that?" she went on in the same tone. "Look," she went on, calmer this time. "All I'm trying to say is that Ziva never blamed you for Somalia. She never hated you about it, because it wasn't your fault. She was confused and her father took advantage of that. She loves you, Tony. She was in love with you even back then. Don't you remember? She has already told you that. She stayed in Israel away from you, even though it broke her heart, just to become a better person. To deserve your love. And you're sticking to the past. Don't do this anymore. Don't waste any more time thinking about the mistakes you both made. You can have a great future together. Such a beautiful future that neither of you can imagine" she said.

Yes, he was dreaming a future with Ziva. To marry her, have kids together. That was his dream. But something or someone always stood in the way, and Somalia was one of them. He couldn't get over the fact of what she had been through in that damn camp because of him. For countless nights after that summer, he had wished things would have been different.

"I want a future with her, but" he whispered back, running his hand through his hair.

"No 'buts!' Go for it!" she encouraged him, and stood up from the stool, ready to leave.

"Wait, that's it? You're leaving just like that? What am I going to do?" he asked, a little angry.

The woman turned to face him. "Hey! As your guardian angel, my job is to protect you and give you a piece of advice. I gave it to you so I'm out of here! I didn't come here to solve your problems. It's your job to do that. Go find Ziva and talk about it. That is the only way for both of you to move on from this" she said with a serious tone. "Life's giving you a third chance with her. Don't waste it with guilt and mistakes. This chance might be the last" the brunette woman warned him. Tony didn't say anything. "Look, I have to go. Until the next time, goodbye, Tony" she said before her form disappeared.

"Goodbye, Kate." It was the only thing Tony said. It was barely a whisper. Tony thought about her words, and, glancing around the bar, he stood up from the stool and headed out, towards his car. He had to discuss with Ziva this demon that was called Somalia so he could expel it. And he couldn't be more determined to do that.

* * *

A few hours after the incident in the Interrogation room, Gibbs drove Ziva home, telling her that the next day both she and Tony could have a day off. She didn't bother to call Tony on his cell phone because she knew very well that he wouldn't pick it up. She sighed as she closed the door behind her. Kicking off her shoes, Ziva sat in the couch, burying the face on her hands, trying to process what had happened.

'How have things turned this way and why now?' she thought, shaking her head from desperation.

Raising her head after few moments, she caught, with the corner of her eye, the photo that was placed on the piano. She approached it and began to drag her fingers aimlessly on the keys for a moment. Then she took the photo into her hands. It was her most favorite photo in the house. It had been taken by Bishop in the bullpen, the day that she and Tony had decided to move in together. Plus, it was their first photo as a couple. Her chin was rested on his right shoulder while her arm was wrapped around him with her hand resting on his heart. Tony had placed his palm on her elbow, trying to keep her arm wrapped around his neck as much as he could.

"I love you." It was the only thing that she whispered with a shaking voice, caressing Tony's form in the picture while tears were pooling in her eyes. Putting it in its place, she turned her attention to the fishbowl that was placed on a shelf in the corner of the living room.

"Hey, girls. I probably know the reason he has you, now. You kept him company countless nights, when he was alone, when I had abandoned him. I bet you know his deepest secrets," she said with a light chuckle to his fish.

"I know that he has already told you about...that summer" she continued as she sat on the floor, facing the fishbowl. "I know that he's blaming himself for what had happened. But he shouldn't. It was all my fault. My choice" she continued. I'm ashamed for all that I had done to him back then, and the years that followed. He thinks he doesn't deserve my love because of what had happened in Somalia. But the truth is, I am the one who doesn't deserve his love, what with everything I have done to him," she said with a cracked voice.

"You always deserved my love," Tony answered and she snapped her head in his direction."It just..." he said as he made few steps towards to her. "I'll never stop blaming myself for whatever you went through at that terror camp." Ziva stood up from the floor, ready to protest, but he raised his hand and stopped her. "Don't try to convince me otherwise, because we both know that Rivkin would have gone on that mission if I hadn't killed him."

"I had the chance to not…" she tried to explain, but he interrupted her.

"I know. I know. It was your choice to take on the mission, so you could please your father. Even if it meant your death. You thought that you wouldn't have been captured or that you could have died."

"How…?" she mumbled and looked at him, confused. The only person from the team who knew about it was Gibbs. Unless…

"Malachi told me during your father's visit to D.C. when McCallister tried to kill Vance" Tony revealed. "But even if it is the truth, that doesn't change the fact that I was the factor that set off all of this. Rivkin's death, the fact that Gibbs chose me over you, for us not coming to Somalia earlier."

"Tony, it wasn't..." she tried to reassure him, but he cut her off again.

"Yeah….it wasn't my fault" he said smiling sadly. "I kept telling myself that for years. But I've also been telling myself something else. Nothing would have happened to you if I had died in Rivkin's place. Those men wouldn't have tortured you and…." he swallowed hard, shutting his eyes before he continued. "...violated you for months if those bullets had been in my chest and not his" he went on with a cracked voice. Her heart stumbled at hearing those words from him. She couldn't believe how much bitterness and guilt he had in his heart from what had happened so many years ago. At that moment, she had wished she'd had the power to go back in time. When Malachi tried to persuade her to change her mind in Somalia. When she was in Israel and said to Gibbs that she didn't trust Tony. When she said those horrible things to Tony outside Mossad's HQ, pointing her gun at his chest. She would have done anything to change her actions back then, to ease the pain that had pooled in Tony's heart. "Coming here, I was determined to tell you that I want to move on from that. To make a fresh start. But seeing you and knowing what you have been through because of me, I can't," he said with hurt in his voice. "I tried, but I can't," he repeated and shuffled towards the door, lowering his eyes toward the ground. Tony loved Ziva, but thinking about what had happened to her in Somalia because of him, he couldn't look at her in the eyes.

When she saw him leaving, panic gripped her. She knew very well that the moment he would step out of that door, everything for them would be over. Because, she was aware, as much as he wanted to fight for them, he couldn't do it anymore. Her two year's absence had hurt him irremediably, and what had happened that day in the Interrogation room was last straw for him. She knew that he loved her from the bottom of his soul, but even the greatest love could be overshadowed by pain and guilt. Watching him leave, her mind was racing to find a way to stop him, to make him change his mind. But there was nothing that she could think of. What could she say to this broken man so she could ease the pain in his heart? To give him a reason to fight for them? That was when she understood that the answer was in her heart and not her mind.

"I do know how I would have felt, though" she said softly, and he was rooted in place just before he had opened the door. "How I would have felt if you had been dead in Michael's place," she continued with a trembling voice.

Tony turned and looked at her, and Ziva made few steps towards him. "It was only a few hours for me, but…but watching your car blow up on the screen in MTAC and finding your badge, your phone among the ashes afterwards…and the body…it was…" a crack crept into her voice while tears were running down her cheeks. "I thought you were dead" she sobbed and fell on her knees, burying her face in her hands.

"Oh, Ziva" he said and ran towards her. Kneeling next to her, he held her in his arms. She buried her face in his chest. "Shhh, it's ok, it's ok" he whispered in her ear and kissed the top of her head.

"My heart…my heart felt like it had been ripped from my chest. It was the worst pain ever" she continued, sobbing.

"Shhh. Please, Ziva, don't cry" he crooned in her ear while tears were sliding down his cheeks. "Don't cry."

"And when you told me in Israel that…that I'd prefer you to be in Michael's place, those images came back and…and it was like stab into my heart…"

"I told you those things because I couldn't think otherwise. I had shot your boyfriend. And with your behavior in D.C. and then in Israel I…" he trailed off, his face buried into her curls.

"I was so scared" she continued crying. "For you, seeing you lying next to Michael…for the consequences that you might have had by my father… That's why I was mad. You jeopardized your life for me and I…" she revealed with cracked voice.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Shhh, it doesn't matter anymore" he tried to reassure her.

"And when I…and when I went inside the Mossad's HQ and realized what I had said to you, what I had done to you, I cried, Tony. I cried so much that I thought I was crying for hours. I was so mad at you, so mad at myself. I was so confused" she went on, crying. After soaking his shirt with her tears, she pulled back at looked at him with her tearful eyes. "If you had been in Michael's place that night, I would have shot him right there, without hesitation" she said with a steady voice, not taking her eyes from his. Tony swallowed, hard, at her confession. Not only because of the honesty of her words, but also because of the fact that there was a steel in her eyes when she uttered them. "Tony," she whispered, softening her gaze, "please don't give up on what we have. Don't give up on us." Tony cupped her face with both of his hands and rested his forehead against hers. "Don't give up on us" she said again, shutting her eyes. "Don't give up on us." her voice was barely above a whisper. "Don't give up on us."

"Look at me" he said and pulled away from her. "Ziva, please look at me" he repeated and she opened her eyes. Shaking his head, he looked deep into her eyes. "No, I won't give up on us. I promise I won't give up on us" he said and captured her lips in a tender kiss. He felt her give in to the kiss, returning it.

* * *

Tony woke up to an empty bed. After what had happened downstairs, they had gone upstairs into the bedroom to get some sleep in each other's arms. The day's events had both been physically and mentally exhausting, and even if he had only had two hours of sleep, it was very refreshing for him. He was, however, curious at to where Ziva was. She had been upset, too. And after her confession, truth be told, more than he was. He had tried so hard to calm her down, reassuring her that he would fight for them. He had never seen her so broken, not even the night that Mike Franks had died, not even after her father's death. She had never been so broken, not even after she had returned from Somalia. Tony looked around until he saw Ziva sitting across the room in the armchair looking outside on the balcony.

"Hey" he said softly, approaching her and kneeling in front of her, he took her hand in his. "What's going on?"

"I couldn't sleep" she answered simply, not taking her eyes from the balcony.

"Did that conversation bring your memories back?" he asked with worry.

Ziva shook her head. "I stayed awake fearing that…that you might change your mind during the night and leave" she confessed with honesty and wiped some tears from her eyes. Tony's heart stopped. He had felt that fear. From the moment he had seen her that day in bull pen when she came back from Israel. He had that fear every day, every hour, every second, even now that they were together. He was afraid that she might change her mind and return to Israel. But even if Ziva was the reason that he had that fear, he didn't want her to have this feeling in her heart because of him, to feel the torture of doubt that he had.

"Hey, look at me" he said and cupped her cheek, making her look right at him. "Look at me! I wouldn't. I promised you that I wouldn't give up on us."

"I know. It's just…" she trailed off with a shaking voice.

"I won't give up on us" Tony repeated and Ziva rested her palm above his. Looking deep into his green-hazel eyes, she leaned and kissed him. How much she needed his kiss at that moment, how much she needed his touch at that moment. Moving a hand between them, she started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Ziva…" he tried to stop her, putting his hand on hers.

"Don't" she pleaded. "Don't stop me. I need you and I know you need me too" she whispered on his lips. "I need to feel you, my love. To make love to you" she went on and started unbuttoning his shirt again.

"I don't think this is a good…"

"Shhhh" Ziva pressed her finger against Tony's lips, effectively silencing him.

Standing up from the armchair, she dragged him towards the bed and pushed him lightly onto it. Tony caught her by waist and placed her on top him gently. What happened that night wasn't just love-making between two lovers, because every touch they gave each other, every kiss they gave each other, was a promise. A promise that they would leave that demon of the past behind, a promise that they would leave Somalia behind and make a fresh start. Together. After a few hours of love making, Ziva was watching Tony sleep. She was caressing his jaw line with her knuckles, whispering to the sleeping man how much she loved him. She was telling him how she loved him all over again like she was trying to reassure him of her feelings. She was repeating her love to him until the dawn came just like she had done in Paris. Watching the morning light peaking through the window, she smiled. After their confessions and their promises to each other the night before, she knew that a new day for both them had just come.

* * *

**I hope I didn't disappoint you with the chapter… Please review and let me know what you think**


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note **

**Hello readers. Familiar Faces are back. **

**Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Finally, Tony and Ziva have left Somalia behind ready to face new challenges on the future. I'm not trying to make the story soap opera. Remember I'm not Gary LOL!, but I think there are many issues that have to be addressed considering their relationship. Every, issue will make the bond between Tony and Ziva stronger. I hope you have the patience to read the continuation.**

**Anyway, allow me to answer me on some reviews.**

**To Debbie:**** Thank you for your review. Yes Tony and Ziva cleared the air between them. There will be mentions on Somalia on future chapters but don't worry they will not create problems between the couple.**

**To Guests:**** I'm glad the fact that you liked Kate's appearance. I always wanted to write it that, Kate as their guardian angel. And I must tell you that Kate will reappear on the story but much later. I hope you enjoy it and then.**

**Specials thanks **

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story. I wish you the best on your new beginning**

**To Laitie:**** my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…Without her contribution this story wouldn't have been updated. Your help is priceless girl and I can't repay it to you. And don't forget. Take your time on editing. I can always wait.**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed, followed un-favorited and un-followed that story**

**Disclaimer: You know that I don't own it…**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

It was a sunny day. During all those years that she had lived in D.C., Ziva had never seen such a sunny and warm day just a few days before Christmas. It was like the weather, like God, knew that this day was for them. A new beginning for Tony and her without the ghosts of Somalia and Rivkin haunting them. The conversation they had the night before on those matters was difficult, but both of them felt relieved at the end, like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders After debating if they would stay in bed all day or not, they agreed that it would be a shame to waste such a beautiful day without doing an outdoor activity. So, after they ate their breakfast and placed his twin bed in one of her spare rooms, they decided to do their Christmas shopping together and go for a walk in the park afterwards. They were happy, so happy that, when they were walking in the park, he didn't stop giving her quick kisses on the lips, with her giggling like giddy teenager. They just couldn't get enough of each other. When the sun went down, they went home and snuggled against each other on the couch and watched 'The Sound of Music'. He hated that movie, but he didn't care as long as he could see the spark in her eyes every time she watched it. One time, he glanced at her to see her reaction during the movie and saw her sleeping, resting her head on his shoulder. She was so beautiful. Like an exotic princess.

'Wait,' he thought. 'She has been always an exotic princess. My princess,' he completed his thought and smiled to himself. Trying not to wake her up, he picked her up and carried her up to the bedroom and placed her on the bed.

"Goodnight, my love" he whispered and placed a kiss on her forehead before he snuggled next to her and drifted off sleep with her in his arms.

* * *

The next day was the day before Christmas Eve, and two days after the incident in the interrogation room. Gibbs was leaning against the railing outside of MTAC and glancing between Tony and Ziva's desks. He sighed, thinking about what had happened. He was worried about the impact that the incident with Marconi could have had on Ziva and Tony's relationship. He didn't want his two 'children' to break up, to end up like him and Jenny. But he hoped that Tony and Ziva had worked the things out between them the day before. They had been through difficult times all these years, especially the last two, and it was partly because of him. Now, he just wanted them to be happy. All his thoughts were interrupted by the 'ding' of the elevator, and he couldn't do anything else but smile because at what he saw when he glanced toward it. It was Tony and Ziva entering the bullpen, holding each other's hands and making their way behind their desks so they could sit and work. Gibbs made his way down the stairs to the bullpen so he could wish them a 'Good morning,' but most of all, to test the waters on how the relationship between the couple was. However, watching Ziva's face, he understood that everything was fine again between them and he couldn't help but to chuckle lightly as he sat at his desk. A few minutes later, Ellie and McGee joined the group working the paperwork of the Marconi case and current cold cases. The incident in the interrogation room was never discussed by anyone. It was like it had never happened. Tony was determined to finish the paperwork that day. He wanted to spend as much of a calm Christmas' Eve as he could in the bullpen the next day, so he was completely focused on his work. But every time Gibbs wasn't looking, he was throwing paper balls at Ziva, something that made him win many death glares from her. However, when the Israeli woman decided to unwrap one of the crumpled papers, she changed her mind, because Tony was writing on them how much he loved her, that she was the best thing that happened in his life, and many promises for the night when they would be back home. Ziva raised her head and cracked a smile at him. A smile that Tony returned back, looking at her eyes which were speaking volumes.

_*smack*_

Gibbs head slapped Tony hard and Ziva let out a light laugh.

"What was that for, Boss? I didn't do anything!" Tony protested as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Stop flirting in the office," Gibbs shouted before he had head slapped him again. "And that's for being nominated as an NCIS Agent of the year," he told him with a smirk. At Gibbs' statement, Ziva smiled, looking at her boyfriend while McGee and Bishop turned their heads in the SFA's direction.

"I might be nominated again, but we both know that you will win the award in the end," Tony said, smirking.

"Well, for your information, DiNozzo, I am not nominated this year," Gibbs informed the young man as he sat at his desk.

"Well, Tony, maybe it's your turn to win the award," Bishop stated. "Maybe this is your year, finally. The results will be announced at the end March, just like last year, right, Gibbs?"

Truth be told, Tony didn't care if won the award or not, because the fact that Ziva was back in D.C. and a part of his life as his girlfriend was enough for him. He wouldn't trade anything for the life he had now.

"Yeah, the end of March. And I'm sure Dinozzo will be the winner," Gibbs replied as he stood up from his desk to give a file to Tony.

"Thanks, Boss. It means a lot," Tony said seriously. Turning his attention to Ziva, he smiled, admiring how beautiful she was. Sensing his stare, she raised her head to look at him. Locking her eyes on his, she got lost in them.

_*smack*_

"When I said 'stop flirting in the office,' I meant you, too, David," Gibbs said and made his way back to his desk.

"Ok, Gibbs. It will never happen again," Ziva said, rubbing her head. Gibbs gave her a 'yeah, right' look before he sat on his chair and paid his attention back to his computer screen.

"Does it hurt that much?" Bishop asked stupidly, making the rest of team look over at her.

"Do you want to find out, Bishop?" the ex-marine asked her, throwing at her a death glare. The young woman sank in her chair in fear.

* * *

It was a little before lunch when Ziva decided to go in Abby's lab to grab a file from a cold case. She was in the elevator when Ellie stopped the doors and entered it. She was taken aback by the young woman's action. Even though they had been co-workers for months, Ellie had always looked a little distant from her. At the beginning, Ziva thought it because of some exaggerated recitation from Tony about a case or mission they had had before she quit. However, after a conversation she had had with Abby, she found out that it was because Ellie had replaced her. Well, tried to replace her, because no one can replace Ziva David.

Ellie felt awe that she was working with the legendary Ziva David, the ex-Mossad Officer who could kill you with a credit card and with a paperclip in 18 ways. Ziva had just hoped all this hesitation, and maybe fear, had come to an end that day. And she was right. The moment the elevator started moving, the young Agent pulled the switch off and turned to Ziva.

"Look, Gibbs, told us not mention what happened during the interrogation. But I don't care if he head-slaps me even if his head-slaps will send me back to Oklahoma," Ellie said. She sighed. "I just want to know if everything is ok."

"Everything is ok. Don't worry," Ziva answered, smiling.

"It's just, you know Tony is like a brother to me and…and you…you're like the sister I always wanted but never had and…" Ellie trailed off.

"I know, and thank for your concern, Ellie, really," Ziva said with honesty and hugged the young Agent.

"So, everything is fine," Ellie stated as she pulled back from Ziva.

"Yes," Ziva said without hesitation. But Ellie kept her eyes locked on the Israeli woman..."Is something wrong?" she asked and the young woman sighed

"Look, when I first came here, no one on the team was talking about you. Your leaving was difficult for all of them. Especially Tony. McGee told you that already." Ellie smiled awkwardly. "I mean, the first time I heard your name from a member of the team was about a year ago and..."

"Cut to the hunt, Ellie," Ziva said impatiently.

"Cut to the chase is the correct idiom, but doesn't matter now," the young woman corrected and Ziva rolled her eyes. "You should know the gossip in the building for your replacement by me had started from day one, and I wanted to know, who that woman who filled that desk before me was" she went on and Ziva looked at her, ready to hear the continuation. "I read your file," Ellie blurted out and bit her lip fearing a hard head-slap or death with a paperclip. However, neither of those happened.

"Ok," Ziva said simply.

"Actually, I read both NCIS and Mossad files, or whatever information you can get from Mossad," Ellie said. "I didn't tell the team because I didn't want them to feel uncomfortable. The point is that whatever achievements you had and whatever you have been through, either as a Mossad Officer or NCIS Agent, are in honor of you and I want to you to know that I admire your courage and your strength and I'm very proud that we work on the same team, that you are my co-worker," she concluded.

"Thank you. That means a lot, because…" Ziva trailed off.

"I know," Ellie interrupted her. "Trust me, I know, and I don't judge you for the fact that you wanted to…have a break from all this. On the contrary, I understand you and I admire you. If someone else were in your shoes, they probably would…" she cut herself off mid-sentence.

Ziva hugged Ellie tight and said, "Thank you. Thank you so much for your understanding. All of this was difficult for me, and for the team."

"You're welcome" Ellie replied and pulled herself away so she could reach for the switch. "I'm going for a coffee run. Green tea, no sugar, right?"

"Yes!" Ziva answered laughing and Ellie winked at her.

* * *

There was quiet in the bullpen with Tony alone and completely focused on his work. Gibbs was in MTAC with McGee while Bishop had informed him that she would go for a coffee run. She left, along with Ziva, who had gone downstairs to Abby to grab a file from a cold case which concerned a robbery where two sailors were injured. However, for some strange reason, Ziva was later than usual. That was when the 'ding' announced the arrival of the elevator.

"Geez, where you been all that…time?" Tony trailed off as he saw the people who arrived in the bullpen.

"Junior!" Anthony DiNozzo Senior exclaimed excitedly while he approached Tony's desk, followed by a woman in her mid-sixties.

"Dad, Linda, what are you doing here? I thought you were doing business in Dubai," Tony asked, surprised.

"Aren't you going to hug your dad, Junior?" Senior asked opening his arms to envelope his son in a huge hug.

"Sure," Tony said as he stood up from his chair and hugged his father. "Linda," Tony said as he left his father's hug and hugged his godmother.

"Hello, Tony, how are you?" the woman asked and kissed Tony's cheek. "You look great. Better than I thought," she continued, looking him over from head to toe.

"I'm fine. So, why are you here?" Tony asked again, scratching the back of his head.

"Your dad sent you countless e-mails these past few months, but you haven't answered him back. He was worried, Tony, considering what had happened the last time you didn't answer. It's a normal thing for a father to worry like that" Linda explained.

"And I didn't want you to spend Christmas alone," Senior added and patted Tony's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, it's just...you know how work is...and then some things happened...I was shot and..." but he was cut off by Senior.

"You were what? You were shot? Jesus Christ! Are you alright?" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, Dad, I'm alright. I'm really fine," Tony tried to reassure his father. "I was in a coma for three weeks, and I didn't tell you anything because I didn't want to make you worry for no reason."

"Make us worry for no reason? Really? You were in coma for three weeks, for God's sake, and we didn't know anything!" Linda shouted. She couldn't believe what her godson was saying. As she leaned on Ziva's desk to support herself from the shock, the pencil case fell and the pencils, along with the Israeli flag, were spread on the desk.

"I'm so sorry. I was a little upset by the news," Linda apologized and started gathering the pencils and pens into the pencil case. That was when Senior noticed the Israeli flag.

"Junior?" he asked and took the flag in his hand. "What is this doing here? The last time I saw it was over two years in Abby's lab," Senior went on and extended the flag in front of Tony's face. "Is this is what I think it is?" the older man continued. Tony was ready to answer, but the 'ding' of elevator interrupted him.

"You can't believe how much time took Abby and me to find the file," Ziva started saying as she approached Tony's desk coming from the elevator without taking her eyes from the file. "Forty-five minutes. She has so many cold cases to process, but she still insists on not taking an…assistant..." She trailed off when she raised her head and saw who else was there.

"Surprise dad!" Tony said to his father, grinning.

"Ziva?" Senior asked in disbelief.

Ziva, for few moments, couldn't process Senior's presence. However, it wasn't long before Ziva threw the file from her hands without caring where it landed and hugged him.

"Welcome back, Gorgeous," he said and then kissed the top of Ziva's head, hugging her tight.

"I told you that some things happened," Tony said, smiling. His eyes sparkled seeing the way his father embraced his girlfriend.

"We missed you so much," Senior said with a cracked voice.

"I missed you too," Ziva said her face still buried in his chest.

"You are back for good, right?" he asked, struggling to keep his emotions at bay. The only thing that Ziva did was nod without leaving Senior's hug.

"I can't believe it!" Senior said, pulling away from Ziva while she wiped a tear from her cheek.

That was when Ziva noticed Linda's presence."I'm sorry; you must be Tony's godmother, Linda." she said extending her hand for handshake

"And Anthony's wife" the older woman added and shook her hand with the Israeli

"I've heard so much about you. I'm Ziva by the way, Tony's..." But Tony cut Ziva off.

"Girlfriend and partner," he said, making Senior freeze.

"Junior?" Senior turned to his son.

"Actually, Dad..."

"Well done! You swept her off her feet! You might be a little late, but well done!" Senior exclaimed.

"Dad!" Tony shouted while Ziva laughed lightly.

After the introductions between Ziva and Linda, the couple invited Tony's family to Ziva's place for dinner after work. An invitation that the DiNozzos', of course accepted. So, a little after 19:00, the two couples were enjoying Ziva's cooking. It was a traditional Israeli meal and Linda was so amazed with Ziva's meal that she asked for the recipe. Along with dinner, there was a conversation about Ziva's life during her two year absence and Senior's and Linda's wedding. But what most intrigued Senior's and Linda's curiosities were Tony and Ziva's adventures during their 8-year partnership.

"When I climbed up into the warehouse rafters to disarm the bomb, he followed me. I asked him why he did it and he said, 'I don't friggin' know, Ziva!'" Ziva told them about when she had to disarm the bomb in a warehouse during her second year at NCIS.

"I cared for you, Ziva, you know that," Tony said, sipping his wine.

"Yes, you did. I understood it from the way you looked down my top," Ziva said, smirking, and Tony choked on his wine.

Senior and Linda burst out laughing. Linda added, "Don't worry. Classic DiNozzo. He's just like his father." Senior was ready to protest, but Linda cut him off. "Don't you dare to deny it. Even when you were married to Elisabeth, God rest her soul, you could look as long as you didn't break the 'rule'," Linda continued.

"The 'rule?'" Tony questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You can look, but don't touch," Linda explained, smirking.

"Well, Linda, we don't need that 'rule' because I only have eyes for Ziva," Tony said, giving his girlfriend a quick kiss. Looking deep down into her eyes he couldn't believe that after 11 years, his dream had come true. Ziva was his and only his at last, and he would do anything to not mess that up.

Senior's words brought them back to reality. "But it would be horrible if you had both died that day. If Ziva had cut the wrong wire..." Senior trailed off.

"Yeah, but she cut the right one, and we here now," Tony said and smiled at Ziva.

The dinner finished and the older couple was ready to leave when Tony and Ziva suggested that they stay in their room from the few next days, with the young couple taking Tony's twin bed. After much insistence, the DiNozzos gave in. But both Tony and Ziva had gotten used the space that Ziva's king-sized bed offered, and Tony's twin bed made their sleep uncomfortable, with Tony complaining about his back. However, the fact he could have Ziva close to him made him happy, along with with the 'special treatments' that the Israeli offered him. He gladly accepted them, the pain in his back became more bearable.

* * *

Christmas Eve came, and so did a boring day at the office, until the annual projection of 'It's A Wonderful Life' in MTAC. This tradition had started with Ziva and had stopped with her departure. Now with her return, it was time to start again. Even Vance attended this year like he used to. He also attended Christmas Day at Ziva's house along with his children. Ziva wanted to be hostess that year, and she did. No one was missing. Everybody was there: Mike Franks' daughter-in-law with her daughter, Agent Borin, even Fornell and Emily were present, to everybody's surprise, and even Gibbs.

"May I have your attention please?" Tony called while he stood up from the table, keeping a glass of wine on his hand, and everyone looked at him. "First of all, I'd like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas. I know some of us have had a difficult year. I just hope the New Year will be better for all of us. Well, for me, it definitely will be," he continued, chuckling, and looked at Ziva as she smiled back at him. "I wish all of you the best," Tony wished and raised his glass.

"Merry Christmas!" everybody shouted and raised their glasses, participating in Tony's toast.

"Am I the reason that the New Year will better for you?" Ziva asked, smiling. Tony smiled as he sat down in his chair.

"You are the reason that my life will be better from now on," he answered and leaned over to kiss her.

"DiNozzo, David, stop grab-assing on the table and start eating before the food gets cold!" Gibbs barked and all who were present burst out laughing before they started eating.

Afterwards, everybody exchanged gifts with everyone. Tony made a trip to Greece in the summer a gift for Ziva. What she didn't know was that Tony had another, surprise gift for her for the next day.

Today, Ziva gave Tony a golden Star of David, an heirloom which had been passed down for generations to every male member of the David family. Tony hesitated to take it at first, because he wasn't a David and he didn't believe that Eli, if he had been alive, would have been pleased with his daughter's gesture. However, Ziva insisted that Tony accept it as her boyfriend. He was the most important man in her life, and he deserved it.

The day flew by. The next day was Senior and Linda's departure to New York so they could spend New Year's Day with Taylor, Linda's daughter, before they went back to Dubai. However, they promised that they would visit them again soon. They were in the airport when Senior wanted to speak to Tony in private.

"Junior, can I talk to you for a sec?" Senior asked his son as he dragged him far away from the girls.

"Sure, Dad. Is something wrong?" Tony asked.

"My marriages with your mother, and now with Linda" Senior started, "have made me understand one thing. Life is too short, and you can't live without your soul mate forever. A year ago you got involved with that…God! I don't even know how to explain this…." he trailed off, disgusted.

"Zoe is over!" Tony said without hesitation.

"I know but-"

"No, listen. No one could have known that things were going to end up like that. It was all my fault. Instead of fighting for Ziva I…compromised with Zoe and it turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life. I never loved her, so I shouldn't have been with her in a first place."

"Does she know?" Senior asked and turned his head to look at Ziva, who was laughing along with Linda.

Tony shook his head. "Only that I had a fling with her and that it almost turned into something serious. But nothing more. I can't get myself to tell her the whole truth."

"Don't you worry that she might…?" Senior asked trailing off.

"No. After that…fiasco, it was hard for anyone to talk about it," Tony revealed. "They all felt responsible for pushing me into that mess. Gibbs told me he felt guilty and apologized of giving his blessing for that relationship. And when Ziva came back, they all pretended that it had never happened. Everyone hoped that someday I'd find happiness with her."

"And they were right," Senior confirmed, smiling. "But I think you should tell her the whole truth because…"

"Because, why? What is it?" Tony asked, more confused than ever.

"Like I told you earlier, my marriages with your mother and Linda have made me understand that life is too short. I came here determined to tell you to go find Ziva, to have a life with her even if you had to move to Israel. But she came back…" Senior started. "You and Ziva have loved each other for a long time. Your relationship has strong foundations because of the years of your partnership and the difficulties you have been through together. Anthony," Senior addressed his son and placed his hands on Tony's shoulders, squeezing them. "It's time for you to take the next step with Ziva," the older man encouraged.

"Dad, it's too…" but Senior cut him off.

"No, it's not too soon. And no, she will not refuse. She loves you. She truly loves you.. Ziva loves you with her whole heart. I can see it in her eyes. She just wanted some time to herself. She's had it, and now she's ready. That's why she came back". Senior explained. "At the bottom of the first drawer of your night stand, Junior. And good luck," he whispered into Tony's ear, hugging him before the announcement of Senior's flight was heard on the speakers. "And remember, she's the only one that deserves it," Senior added after he pulled himself away from his son. After that, Senior hugged Ziva briefly before he took his wife's hand and make their way towards the gate.

Tony stood next to Ziva, watching her say goodbye with a huge smile on her face. Yeah, she was his soul mate. And marrying her would make him the happiest man on Earth. However, a possible rejection from her would break his heart. And this time, for good.

* * *

**Will Tony get over his fear and propose to Ziva or his fear will overrule? Let me know what you think**


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note **

**Hello readers. Familiar Faces are back. **

**Most of you might find the story boring because of the fluff but trust me there is reason for writing it the story like this. Anyway, to answer on some reviews:**

**Debbie:**** Time will tell if Tony will chicken out considering the proposal or not trust me. As for the secrets that they are hiding from each other it's still too to be revealed.**

**Guest #1:**** I'm glad the fact that you liked the interaction between Senior and Ziva. I hate the way they are portraying Tony's father on the show. **

**Guest #2:**** As for Tony and his honesty towards Ziva about Zoe: Time will tell if there is any proposal and if his secret will be revealed before or afterwards.**

**Specials thanks **

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story. I wish you the best on your new beginning. Thank you for supporting me few nights ago when I had a hard time. I don't know what I wouldn't have done without you. And I don't forget: I own you money sis…**

**To Laitie:**** my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…Happy birthday from the last Friday. I wish you the best from the bottom of my soul and thank you for the package. I promise I'll cherish any item you have sent me…**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed, followed that story**

**Disclaimer: When I will own it, I will tell you**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

"What's wrong?" Ziva asked Tony with worry. Since they had left the airport Tony had been silent. Senior's words had made him feel skeptical.

"It's nothing" Tony lied. "It's just that it was the first time that Senior came to town and didn't cause any trouble. One time, he came and I shot someone to death. Not to mention that he lied for Linda."

"I know. Ellie told me what happened. Look, you had no choice. You had to do it. And like someone told me few years ago, sometimes killing is part of the job," Ziva said and turned to look at Tony crossing her gaze with his. "As for your father, thank God Linda forgave him, because she keeps him well-behaved" she stated, smiling. "Where are we going?" Ziva asked as Tony took different direction than that of Ziva's place.

"To your surprise gift" he explained and parked at a pet-shop. They both stepped out the car and headed towards the building. As Tony opened the door, he gestured a confused Ziva to go in. "Hey, Alan" Tony shouted. A man in his sixties came out from the back.

"Oh, Tony, you came" the older man said, enthusiastic.

"Yeah, where is it?" Tony asked with a grin.

"I'll bring it right away" Alan said and disappeared into a storage unit.

"Tony, what's going on?" Ziva asked, confused.

"A few days before Christmas, I came here to buy fish food. That was then they brought it," he said.

"Brought what?" she asked.

"This," he pointed to Alan who was holding a thoroughbred German Shepherd puppy "The guy who brought it told us that he found it on a sack with 5 more puppies that were drowned. He was the only one that survived. If you want him, we can take him."

"Tony..." she said as she approached Alan and patted the puppy's head.

"So...?" Tony asked impatiently.

"You hate dogs" she said, rolling her eyes.

"First of all, dogs hate me, I don't hate dogs," he clarified. "Secondly, I think he will like me because we will live together. And third, as long as he stays in the doghouse that Gibbs prepared for him, I don't think I will have a problem," he explained, patting the puppy's head.

"Gibbs knows?" she asked in disbelief.

Tony nodded. "The only things that remains is for you to say 'yes' and give him a name," he told his girlfriend.

She smiled back at him "Matty. His name will be Matty" she said as she took the puppy in her arms. Tony started dialing a number on his phone. "Who are you calling?" she asked curiously and looked at him.

"Gibbs. He told me if you decided on a name I had to call him so he can carve it into the doghouse."

"Thank you, Tony. For everything" she said and gave him one quick kiss on the lips.

"My pleasure, love. My pleasure."

* * *

Tony couldn't stop thinking about the box that was hidden in his nightstand. After they had returned from the pet shop, both he and Ziva had gone to bed. But he couldn't sleep. He was replaying Senior's words about Ziva and a potential marriage with her in his mind. Yes, he loved Ziva with all his heart and there was no question about that. And yes, he wanted to marry her, but was it the right time for him? Was it the right time for her? Tony looked down at Ziva lying on his chest over his heart. She was asleep with a smile on her face, probably having a pleasant dream. He brushed a strand of hair from her face and kissed her gently on her forehead. Snuggling a bit close to her, he looked outside the balcony with the moonlight peeking through the still-drawn curtains and sighed. What if he proposed and she refused? He wouldn't be able to bear the pain of her rejection. He closed his eyes, trying to push those thoughts from his mind. But it was without success. They kept him awake all night.

When morning came, Ziva sensed that something was off with Tony, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. He was distant from her and when she tried to find out what was going on, the only thing that she received as an answer was 'nothing'. In addition, he didn't hug her when they went to bed. He just lay down with his back to her, saying, 'goodnight.' She couldn't understand what was wrong with him. The same thing happened the following nights. She tried to talk to him, but he always managed to push her away, telling her that he was stressed about work. More days passed, including New Year's Day, and she started to panic, because Tony was becoming more and more distant. The last time they made love had been the day after the incident in the interrogation room with Marconi and the conversation about Somalia. She started to think that maybe Tony had changed his mind about them or had started seeing some other woman, if he was seeing Zoe again. However, things got worse in mid-January when the biggest challenge since Tony and Ziva became a couple appeared.

"I'm taking a vacation." Gibbs blurted out after had come from the Director's office, making all the members of the team freeze. Gibbs had never taken a vacation, only a Sabbatical in case of emergency. "Dinozzo, you will be in charge for the next fifteen days," the older man told the SFA.

"On it, Boss." It was the only thing that Tony said after he swallowed hard. Glancing at Ziva, Tony saw fear in her eyes. The both knew, well, everybody in the Navyard knew, that the inevitable would happen eventually, but they couldn't believe it yet. However, both Tony and Ziva were aware that if they failed in this test, it would be not only the end of this team but also the end of their relationship. And considering the state of which their relationship was in at that time, the odds were against them. They both knew that Vance would be stalking for mistakes, so their relationship in the office had to be strictly professional. And it was. But in their personal life, things were worse than ever. It was like any other typical couple tired from the daily routine, like they had been married for years. The spark and passion between them had gone. However, Ziva was determined to find out what was going on as soon as Gibbs was back. She didn't want to push Tony during the days that he was the team leader. She was just hoping things would be calm, just doing paperwork. Unfortunately, things didn't turn out like she hoped they would. During the fifth day of Tony's leadership, a case came up that shook them all, especially the couple.

"Grab your gear! A 6 year old girl is missing!" Tony shouted and all of them grabbed their backpacks. "Ziva, you drive. I want all of us to be there in record time!" Tony said, tossing her the keys to the Charger. The only thing she did was nod. As soon as everyone was in the car, she sped it up in record time. Ten minutes later, the team was at the crime scene ready to process it.

"What've we got?" Tony asked the police officer.

"Jacqueline Harrison, 6 years old. Her mother is a doctor in Monroe University Hospital and her father is a Marine. He's on tour in Afghanistan. They moved here two months ago. Isn't it your jurisdiction, or am l wrong?" the police officer said as he made his way towards the mother with Tony and Ziva.

"No you're not, it's NCIS jurisdiction" Ziva replied before she turned to the mother. "Excuse me, Dr. Harrison. Special Agents Dinozzo and David. Can you tell us about your daughter?" the Israeli woman asked the woman who had her back to them as she was talking to a police officer…

The woman turned her head making both agents to stop cold from surprise. The woman was surprised as they were, and she couldn't believe that they were the Agents who were to investigate her daughter's kidnapping. After a few moments of silence, Tony was the one who talked first, saying her name just barely above a whisper. "Jeanne?"

* * *

Jeanne Benoit, or Jeanne Harrison, was sitting across McGee and Bishop in the interrogation room while Ziva was watching the statement through the observation room. Tony was in Vance's office, explaining the situation and asking if there was any problem, considering his past with Jeanne.

"Allow me to apologize, Dr. Harrison, but all of the conference rooms were occupied. That's why we have the interview here," Bishop explained. "Could you please tell us how your daughter was kidnapped?" she went on talking with Jeanne, who was not letting McGee out of her sight. Although she was in the grip of fear of not knowing where her daughter was, Jeanne couldn't help but her let the memories flow seeing Tony again. She was still remembering that this young man, years ago, was Tony's partner when she accused him of her father's murder. But, truth be told, she never forgot Ziva and how she and Tony looked at each other that day at NCIS. Tony had never loved her. She was sure of that. All of his words and actions had been part of his mission. Nothing had been real. He had always been in love with that dark-skinned Israeli Officer. Ellie's voice dragged her from her thoughts when she repeated the question. "Dr. Harrison, I know how difficult it is for you, but it's important for us to know how your daughter was kidnapped," she asked again.

"She was playing in the garden and I was watching her from the window" Jeanne started. "I left for one minute to answer the phone, and she just..." the woman's voice cracked.

That was when Tony entered the observation room. "Hey," Ziva said. "What did Vance say?"

"He told me that he doesn't see any obstacle, as long as Jeanne is not a suspect" he explained, looking at Jeanne through the glass.

"So will we take over the case?"

"Yeah" he said, nodding but not taking his eyes from his ex-lover.

"Okay," Ziva answered casually. He didn't seem to hear her, as he was totally focused on Jeanne. However, truth be told, she had wished Vance had given the case to Balboa's team, because she was scared that Tony's feelings for Jeanne would come back even if Tony was with her. Even if Jeanne was married with someone else. And Tony's behavior during the last couple days didn't help her at all to think otherwise.

"Do you or your husband have any enemies?" Bishop asked again.

"Not that I can think of" the woman responded.

"What about your father's enemies?" McGee blurted out without hesitation. Jeanne flinched at the mention of her father

"What the hell is McGee doing?" Tony asked, a little angry and turned his head to look at Ziva.

"His job" she answered back without taking her eyes off of the interrogation room. Tony looked at her with wide eyes, surprised at her response, before turning back to the interrogation room.

"This has nothing to do with my father, Agent Mceem," Jeanne started.

"McGee," he corrected her coldly. McGee didn't like the woman because she had accused Tony of murder. Yes, what Tony did was wrong, but it had been his job. Plus, she had made him choose between her and the team. McGee now knew the only woman that truly loved Tony was Ziva, because she didn't make him choose that night two years ago on the Tel Aviv tarmac. On the contrary, she had sent him away, back to the team, to his real family, even though it broke her heart.

"McGee" she said with a snob attitude. "Besides, my father's prime enemy is dead," she continued. "But you already know that." Everybody but Bishop, of course, understood that Jeanne meant Jenny. After a few more questions, Jeanne's statement was finished, and she made her way out the interrogation room. That was when she came face to face with Tony again

"Jeanne" Tony started, looking deep into her eyes. "I'll find her, I promise" he stated confidently. The only thing that Jeanne did was nod before she passed him and Ziva, who was next to Tony, making her way down the hallway. Tony turned his head, looking at Jeanne, not taking his eyes from her, until she disappeared around the corner. Watching the scene, Ziva felt fear. Fear that she was starting to lose Tony. Things in her relationship with him were pretty bad, and now, with Jeanne's return, she didn't know what would happen, she didn't know what she should expect. Shaking her head from desperation, she just followed Tony back to the bullpen silently, hoping that this nightmare would soon come to an end.

* * *

**Ziva has doubts if Tony's faithful and Jeanne is on picture again. Will Tony tell Ziva why his behavior has changed or will he continue to be distant from her? What do you think will happen next?**


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's Note **

**Hello readers. Familiar Faces are back.**

**The first spoilers considering Season 13 have become known, but truth be told I don't care about them or the new Season as Cote doesn't return. For me there is only one motto and i will stay loyal to it till the end: No Ziva/TIVA, no NCIS.**

**Anyway, back to the story:**

**Thank you for reading and supporting that story. It means a lot. I must say I don't know what's the length of this story will be. I've just hope not to bore the story.**

**Debbie:**** Thank you for your review. Well, for 8 years the show had showed insecurity, insecurity, insecurity for both Tony and Ziva. It normal for me to write them like that, especially now that they are on relationship, a relationship which both of them doesn't want to screw it up. As for the twist with Jeanne glad you like and I promise you it won't be the last.**

**Guest:**** Well yes Tony is afraid that he would lose Ziva and yet he's pushing her away. Well, don't forget all those years that TIVA was pushing and care, until it was backfired and Cote left.**

**Sue Dooley:**** Keep calm and support TIVA. Bishop is unconcerned to me, the same thing should be to you. The problem is not her but Harberg who forced her on the audience and the fact that they were so idiots that they couldn't keep Cote.**

**Abby:**** I hope the beginning of my A/N to answer your question if I will write more on the story. As for the secrets about Vance and Zoe and of course the relationship between Tony and Ziva time will tell. ****But I'm emphasizing this story is TIVA, TIVA, TIVA.**

**Specials thanks:**

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story. Every line I have posted has approved from her **

**To Laitie:** **my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…I still wonder how she tolerates me and my mistakes...thank you girl!**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed, followed that story**

**Disclaimer: I had owned it, I would have thrown Gary's storylines in the trash bin.**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

"There must be something. Some lead to help us find the girl!" Tony shouted, walking up and down the bullpen. It had been three days since Jeanne's daughter was kidnapped and the team had nothing from the kidnapper.

"We investigated everyone from the men in Harrison's unit, to every one of Jeanne's colleagues" McGee explained. "Hell, I even checked La Grenuiile's old associates" he said throwing his hands on the air in surrender.

"I'll go to check on Abby. She said that she would process the findings again, in case she missed something the first time" Ziva said, glancing at Tony before she made her way on the elevators. The only thing that Tony did was turn a cold shoulder to her. As the doors of elevator closed she leaned against the wall of the cool metal box, sighing. Her relationship with Tony was at the worst point possible and the current case wasn't helping at all.

"You came!" Abby exclaimed as Ziva entered her lab.

"Any leads?" Ziva asked, totally desperate.

"Nada." it was only thing that Abby said and Ziva sat in the chair, sighing, and raked her hair.

"What's going on?" Abby asked and sat next to her. "I didn't think that this case was affecting you so much. Is it?"

"It's not _just_ the case" Ziva declared. "It's Tony. He's so distant from me. We haven't…"

"You haven't what?" Abby asked.

"He hasn't touched me for a month, Abby. Since the Marconi case." her voice cracked.

"Wait, wait! After that afternoon I thought everything was fine between you two" Abby said suprised

"Yes, that's what I thought too. I thought that everything was fine, but…."

"Do you think he's cheating on you?" Abby asked in disbelief, trying to read her friend's thoughts.

Ziva shook her head from desperation "I don't know, I don't know. We come and go from work together, we take Matty for walk together and when he goes alone he always comes back on time" Ziva explained, sighing. "But his behavior…what if…what if he's having an affair with that Zoe again?"

"No!" Abby said without hesitation "Tony would never cheat on you! Never! Especially not with her! Besides, you just told me that you do everything together."

"What makes you so sure? What makes you so sure that he wouldn't cheat on me with her? He has been with that woman before. Plus, none of you mentioned his relationship with her during my absence, and I honestly don't understand why…" Ziva had been wondering for months why none of her friends had mentioned Tony's relationship with Zoe. Why all of them had pretended that that relationship had never existed. Why all of them referred only to Amanda as Tony's ex and not Zoe too. Abby mentally cursed not only herself but also the rest of the team, because they were the ones who pushed Tony into that relationship, telling him to move on from Ziva. But how could they know that what would have happened afterwards? How could they know that this woman would have turned into the biggest trouble for Tony after his frame up for murderer and La Grenuiile's case? No, they couldn't have known. But all of them now knew one thing for sure. They would never forgive themselves for what they had done back then. For pushing Tony to Zoe when he wasn't ready to move on, when he didn't want to move on. And, most importantly, for forgetting Ziva. For pretending that she was dead instead of finding a reason to get Ziva to come back to them.

"Ziva, we didn't tell you anything because she meant nothing to him. Tony was in love with you. It has to be something else. But one thing is sure. Tony is not cheating on you" Abby said and squeezed Ziva's shoulder.

Ziva shrugged. "I don't know, Abby. I don't know what to think...maybe…maybe he's tired of me" she confessed.

"He didn't get tired of waiting for you for two years. Yes, maybe he had some flings, but nothing important. He always hoped that you would come back. How could he tire of you now that he has you? Did you try…?" Abby tried to asked her but Ziva cut her off mid-sentence.

"Yes, I tried to talk to him and he pushed me away" Ziva explained as a tear rolled down her cheek. "And now, with Jeanne's return..."

"Oh so that's it! You're afraid that you're going to lose him. That he might still have feelings for Jeanne," Abby said, more as a statement than a question.

Ziva nodded "I mean, he's obsessed with this case and...Being so close to Jeanne for so many hours makes me think things that…." She sighed.

"He doesn't love her, Ziva," Abby said without hesitation. "I doubt if he ever really had loved her" she went on and Ziva looked at Abby in disbelief.

"How can you say that? He was wreck for months when he broke up with Jeanne," Ziva answered. "I heard him saying that he loved her, he told me that he loved her!"

"I believe that Tony was so deep in his cover as Tony DiNardo that he was confused and thought that he was really in love with her. But in reality, he wasn't. And don't forget the way he broke up with her. Maybe he's guilty about it," Abby explained. "Besides, if he really loved Jeanne, he wouldn't have been able to live without her, but he did. Without you, though, he couldn't." Ziva looked at her with surprise, remembering Tony's words in Somalia

"_Tony, why are you here?"_

"_Couldn't live without you, I guess"_

"Tony loves you! He doesn't love Zoe or Jeanne" Abby reassured her friend. "Trust me."

Ziva was ready to answer, but she was interrupted by her cell phone. "David," she said, answering it. "...I see. OK, I'm on my way." She ended the call. "That was Ellie" she told Abby. "We have a lead. I have to go." She made her way out of Abby's lab.

"Ziva!" Abby shouted. The Israeli woman turned her head. "Everything will be OK" Abby encouraged her friend.

"I hope so, Abby. I hope so" the woman said and left.

* * *

"What happened?" Ziva asked as she rushed into the bullpen.

"Jeanne called Tony and told him that she talked with her husband. He told her that his cousin had threatened him five months ago for some heritage or something," Ellie explained as Ziva grabbed her backpack. "Tony is at Jeanne's house so he could take her and she could lead him to her husband's house."

"Is McGee with him?" Ziva asked.

"No." McGee answered as he made his way down the stairs from MTAC.

"You let..." but Ziva was cut off by her cell phone. Glancing at it, she saw a text from Tony with the address of Harrison's cousin. "Follow me" was the only thing she said afterwards, and the three Agents rushed into the elevator. Ziva sped through the streets without second thought in the Charger. Once they reached their destination a couple minutes later, the Agents surrounded the house. Soon enough, Ziva gave the signal and they all rushed in.

"NCIS!" Ziva shouted as the three Agents entered the house, in which, they were informed, the girl was being held. "Clear!" she yelled, checking the room, her gun extended.

"No one in the bathroom" McGee said, placing his gun in its holster.

"Same for the kitchen" Ellie informed them.

That was when a loud noise was heard from the closet. The Agents extended their guns before opening the closet. There stood the girl.

"It's OK, Sweetie, we are police" Ziva said and approached the girl. Before Ziva managed to take the girl in her arms, shots rang outside the house. Leaving the girl with Ellie, Ziva and McGee made their way out and saw Tony pointing his gun at a man. Harrison's cousin, the girl's kidnapper, was kneeling on the ground with his hands up in surrender.

"Handcuff him, please" Tony asked Ziva, not taking his aim away from the man. Without any further questions, Ziva handcuffed the man and led him to the Charger.

The team, along with Harrison's cousin and the girl, headed for the Navyard. Watching the reunion between Jeanne and her daughter, Tony smiled. He was happy that Jeanne had finally found a man who really loved her and that she had started a family.

"Thank you, Tony. For everything" Jeanne told him as they were walking along with Jacqueline in the hallway outside the conference room.

"I did my job, that's all" he answered back, shrugging.

"So that's it?" Jeanne asked, looking deep into Tony's eyes.

"Yeah. He will spend many years in jail, trust me" he said with confidence.

"I hope he does" she answered back, smiling. "Thank you," she said again and kissed Tony's cheek.

"Tony, about the…paperwork..." Ziva trailed off as she made her appearance from the corner of the hallway. Watching the intimate moment between her boyfriend and his ex-girlfriend, the file she was keeping on her hands hit the floor. "Sorry for interrupting," was the only thing Ziva said. Before Tony managed to say anything, she ran across the hallway.

"ZIVA!" Tony shouted, following her without caring about leaving Jeanne alone. Ziva rushed into the bullpen, grabbing her backpack and gathering her stuff. She was so tense that she dragged McGee's and Ellie's attention toward her.

"Ziva, are you alright?" Ellie asked with worry as she stood up from her desk. Ziva didn't answer. She just kept gathering her stuff. When she started making her way toward the elevators, Tony appeared and stopped her.

"Look, it's not what you think" he told her, grabbing her wrist.

"Let go of me!" she said with a low but determined voice as she tried to free her arm.

"She was just thanking me, that's all" he tried to explain, but he failed.

"Yeah, right" she said back, laughing sarcastically. Turning serious, she continued. "Listen, if we don't want Vance to spilt us again, let me go before I make a scene."

"Ziva, please!" Tony begged but she didn't listen.

"LET. GO. OF. ME." she said. He let her go. He didn't let her out his sight until the elevators doors had closed and she had disappeared.

* * *

"What the hell was that?" Tony asked Ziva, boiled with anger, shouting at her and closing the front door of the house with force behind him. Half an hour after Ziva had left the Navyard, Tony had followed her back to the house so they could talk.

"Well, I left so you could flirt with Jeanne without me standing in the way" she answered back, holding a glass of wine in her hands.

"How can you believe that I'd be cheating you with Jeanne?" he asked, frustrated.

"I saw how you were looking at her, Tony. I'm not a moron!" she shot back. "Plus, your behavior lately doesn't help me think otherwise" she went on. "You have completely shut me out, you…you don't even touch me anymore" she continued with a cracked voice.

"Are you nuts? She's married with a child! She just wanted to thank me-" he tried to tell her, but she cut him off.

"So what? You've had affairs with married women before" she stated simply and his jaws dropped. He couldn't believe what she had just said. He couldn't believe that she was questioning his faith towards her. That kind of life style belonged to the past and Ziva was the present. "Besides, I didn't know you thanked someone by kissing them" she continued and drank the wine in one gulp.

"She kissed on the cheek, Ziva" he defended, losing his temper.

"Do you still love her?" she asked with a voice full of hurt, looking at him in the eyes.

"What the hell…?" But she didn't let him finish.

"Answer me, dammit!" she yelled at him, smashing the glass on the floor."DO. YOU. STILL. LOVE. HER!?"

Grabbing her wrists, he pushed her and trapped her between the wall and him.

"No!" he shouted at her, pressing his body to hers while he tightened his grip on her wrists on the wall over her head. "No," he repeated, barely above a whisper as his eyes locked on hers. "No, because she isn't you," he continued, his lips inches from hers. "I love you, Ziva, I've loved you from the first time I saw you walking into the bullpen," he confessed, breathing heavily. He let her wrists free and kissed her gently before he started peppering kisses on her jaw line and neck. He brought his hands down to the hem of her shirt, caressing her exposed skin with his fingerprints.

"Tony," she moaned with pleasure. feeling his lips on her skin, sending shivers through her body, while her fingers raked his hair.

"She couldn't compare to you Ziva. No woman can be compared to you," he said, continuing to pepper kisses before he tried to pull her shirt over her head.

"No!" she ordered and caught his wrists to stop him. He raised his head to look at her and tried to resist her grip, but she tightened it, shaking her head. "We cannot solve all our problems like this, Tony" she said, looking at him in the eyes. She tried to leave. However, he grabbed her waist and pushed her against the wall again.

"Tony…" she started, "let me go."

"No…" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Tony…." she argued, trying to free herself from him.

"No." he repeated sternly, and pressed his body against hers. "I want to show you how I feel about you, first" he crooned into her ear. "So you will never…" he kissed her neck, "never…question..." he ran his hand along the inside of Ziva's thigh, "my love again," he completed his confession and caught her mouth with his, biting on her bottom lip before their mouths met completely.

She relaxed into his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him as close to her as she could. As much as she wanted to resist him, she couldn't. His touch, his kiss, his body, were all like a magnet for her. He was like a drug, and she was addicted to it. After they explored each other's mouths with clashing tongues and clicking teeth, he broke the kiss and pulled her shirt over her head while she was making quick work of the buttons of his shirt.

That was it. They surrendered to each other one more time, making love on the floor of the living room. It wasn't the first time they made love there, and it certainly wasn't going to be the last, with the heat emanating from each other, for each other. They didn't want to end, not ever. But they both knew eventually the release would come. And when it came, they snuggled into each other's arms in front of the fireplace, listening to the crackling fire inside it.

"Don't you ever shut me out again" Ziva blurted out, out of nowhere after a few moments of silence. She kissed Tony's collarbone.

Tony pulled away from and cupped her cheek with his palm. "Never again," he answered, looking deep into her eyes. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips before he took her into his arms again. Every time he held this woman in his arms, he had the feeling of contentment in his soul. He felt contented as man, as a human being. And now, he was determined to do anything so he could have this feeling for the rest of his life.

* * *

**I hope you liked it...**


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Note **

**Hello readers. Familiar Faces are back. **

**I must confess that I was ready to abandon the story. Although TIVA fandom had never been stronger than it is now in my heart, it is mentally exhausting for me to continue writing that story,(considering the situation on NCIS the last two years) especially when the story's plot is on particular part that I'm writing now. I just hope for me to be strong enough so I could finish that story. In addition, forgive me I've changed my penname and I confused you. I'm still Athena (LOL). I wanted to do it a long time ago because I wanted to honor the TIVA nation in my country. I just hope you like the idea.**

**Anyway back to the story**

**Debbie:**** I'm glad you loved the chapter. ****I love you too 3.**

**Guest:**** who you don't like Ziva and the way I'm writing the story. Thank you. The way you are reviewing my story means that I'm doing a great job. Because first of all the last 2 seasons the Agents are indeed a bunch of teenagers. Secondly because Ziva is not likeable to you which means I'm writing her perfectly. Thirdly unfortunately for you and TIVA bashers and fortunately for me and TIVA shippers the story has still many many chapters. Because Harberg might destroyed TIVA on our screens but made it stronger in my heart. And fourth, because reading your reviews I have written the best TIVA chapter of the story until now (not the current). To sum up: Thank you for your reviews generally. I suppose I'm doing such a great job on writing TIVA that I'm pissing you off.**

**Specials thanks:**

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story. The one who managed to change my mind so I would continue the story. If she hadn't been I would have abandoned the story a long time ago.**

**To Laitie:****my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed that story**

**Disclaimer: If I had owned it, Tony and Ziva would have had a bunch of TIVA babies by now.**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

Tony had less than two weeks until Valentine's Day and, also, to find a unique way to propose Ziva. He wanted her to remember that day for all her life, to be such a special day. A day that both he and Ziva could tell their children and their grandchildren about; like a fairy tale. Because, yes, he wanted children with Ziva. He wanted her to have the happy ending she deserved, with him at her side. However, he couldn't come up with something unique enough. At the begging, he thought to propose her during the dinner he had planned, but he decided against it. It wasn't something unconventional, plus that was the way he had proposed to Wendy and he didn't want that. Afterwards, he decided on a walk to the park and popping the question there, but remembering the Ray fiasco, this idea also had to be excluded. He was fresh out of ideas and he sighed from desperation.

"Tony, what's going on?" The female voice dragged him from his thoughts.

"Huh?" He raised his head and looked at Ziva. Sitting next to him to the couch, she patted his shoulder.

"Tony, you promised me that you won't shut me out again. What's going on?" she asked. "Does it have to do with your trip?"

He rubbed the back of his head. Truth be told, part of his anxiety was because of this trip. He had to take care of something before he proposed to her. "Nothing's wrong." he replied, smiling lightly.

"You're lying and-"

Tony cut her off. "I'm not lying you, and I'm not shutting you out. Believe me. As for the trip, I already told you."

"I wish I hadn't promised to babysit for Victoria, so I could go with you." she sighed, burying her face in his neck.

"Relax." He tried to calm her down. "It's only the weekend." Placing a strand of hair behind her ear and looking deep into her eyes, he went on. "Do you know how much I love you?"

"No, I don't. Please tell me. How much?" she asked teasingly and rubbed her knuckles on his cheek, not taking her eyes from his.

"No?" he asked in disbelief. "No?" He stood up from the couch and, with a sudden movement, picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, carrying her up to the bedroom.

"Put me down!" she yelped, giggling "Put me down! We have to go to work..." she went on, seriously, now.

Tony entered the bedroom with her and laid her on the bed, crawling on top of her.

"I love you so much." he said as he started planting kisses on her neck "So much that words are not enough to show you what I feel about you." he whispered as his hands slowly found their way under the hem of her shirt. "Let my actions to show it."

"We are going to be late at work and-" she tried to protest, but he silenced her with a hungry kiss, making her moan.

"I'm the Team Leader, sweet cheeks." he whispered, grinning, and tried to pull her shirt up. "So you don't have to worry about the consequences of being late." he continued and brought his lips up to her neck.

"What about Van-"

"Shhhh, don't worry about it. Vance is out of town." he explained and started peppering kisses between Ziva's breasts after he had pulled her shirt over her head.

"In that case…we can be late but…" she answered with a devilish smile and rolled them over in the bed, "I like to be on top!" she went on and kissed his lips with force. Ziva started to unbutton his shirt quickly without breaking the kiss. With a mischievous smile afterwards, she undid his belt and unzipped his pants. But when she about to pull them off him with a quick move, Tony rolled them back with Ziva under him.

"My turn." he stated firmly and kissed her, biting her lower lip lightly, earning a moan from her. Tony moved his lips to her neck, then her sternum, kissing his way down to her stomach. He had never felt in his lips, in his fingerprints, such soft skin as hers. He loved to touch it, to kiss it, but most of all, to taste every inch of her beautiful, caramel skin.

"Tony…" she moaned almost silently as he was licking her belly button.

"I told you, my love." he replied and licked her belly button again. "Let my actions show you what I feel. What I feel...about you." he completed with soft voice and started unzipping the zipper of her pants. She could feel the electric shock that he created on her body every time he touched her.

"Tony." Ziva gasped. She was losing more and more control each time her body came into contact with any part of his.

"God, Ziva, I love you so much." he confessed breathlessly and pulled her pants off and stood up on his on feet to admire the beautiful sight in front of him.

Pulling his pants off, he got on top of her and stroked her cheek, looking deep into her brown eyes. He leaned and kissed her, letting his actions speak for his heart one more time.

* * *

Tony walked through the cemetery. He hadn't been there for a long time, but his memory wouldn't allow him to forget where her grave was. Holding a bouquet of yellow roses, her favorites, he stood still in front of it. At the sight of the name, the dates of birth and death, carved into the granite stone, he couldn't fight back his tears.

"Hi, Mom." Tony mumbled, his voice thick. "Sorry for not visiting to you all that time but..." he trailed off, swallowing hard. "I'm here to tell you that I'm going to propose to the greatest woman in my life, my soul mate. You know, Ziva. I already told you about her." he sighed before he went on. "You know Dad gave me your ring to propose to her with. He told me that Ziva is the only one who deserves it. And he's right, she does. She's the best thing that's ever happened to my life. You would have loved her, if you had met her." Tony couldn't choke his tears back anymore. He missed her so much. "I wish…I wish you were here." he sobbed and unleashed his tears in front of the grave. "I miss you." Tony whispered and leaned in so he could trace the carved stone with his fingers.

_Elisabeth-Christina DiNozzo_

_October 3__rd__ 1944- December 17__th__ 1976_

_A Beloved Mother And Wife_

"Goodbye, Mom." he said and placed the flowers on the grass in front of the gravestone. "I love you." he said and a light breeze hit him, instantly making him smile before he turned on his heels and left.

* * *

The days passed. Tony returned from his trip, as did Gibbs from his vacation. Tony managed to mask his anxiousness from Ziva and the rest of the team, but not from his Boss. Gibbs knew that something was off with his SFA, but he didn't want to push things any further. He knew that when time was right, Tony would come and talk to him. He just wished that what was bugging the young man wasn't something serious, because, truth be told, those two years that Ziva was in Israel were rough for him. Especially after the fiasco he had had with Zoe, and the mess she had created afterwards.

"I've been waiting for you to come to me for days, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, hearing his SFA's footsteps on the top of his stairs. As he predicted, Tony showed up in his basement. Taking his attention from the project that he was working on, the ex-marine headed for the workbench with his tools and filled two glasses with bourbon, handing one to Tony, who made his way down the stairs.

"I know you understood that something was off and thanks for not pushing me, but I think you have to know why." Tony said, holding the glass with both of his hands. "Besides, you have a right to know.'' Gibbs took a sip of bourbon and waited for him to explain.

"I am going to ask Ziva to marry me tomorrow, and I want your blessing, Boss, because you are like father to her. And…and it's important…to me as much as it is to her." he declared to the older man, looking at him in the eyes. Gibbs studied the younger man...he could see determination and honesty in his eyes.

"And before you say it," Tony continued, "No, I won't hurt her. I love her with all my heart. I'd rather hurt myself than hurt her." he concluded and Gibbs smiled a little, remembering those exact words coming from Ziva's mouth not too long ago, standing at the same spot where Tony was standing now.

"Tony," Gibbs said, approaching him. "Remember one night when you came down here, after the incident with Bodnar's car crash, and you told me that you were worrying about Ziva?" he asked and Tony nodded. "I asked you something that night. If anything had happened between you and her in Berlin. Do you remember your answer?" he continued.

"Yeah, Boss. I told you that nothing happened, and it's the truth. But what does that have to do with this?"

"I had wished your answer would have been different that night," Gibbs confessed. Tony's jaw dropped. "I had wished your answer would have been different, telling me that both of you had had the guts to break rule #12, and that you were together and happy, at last, because, _damn_ you deserved it! It's just that it took you two more years to do it, with Ziva's departure and your…" Gibbs trailed off, sighing.

"Boss-"

"Sometimes during those two years, I thought it had been too late for you." Gibbs interrupted his Agent. "I thought that with having rule #12, I had wasted the only chance to see two of my 'children' happy together. Thank God I was wrong," he said with a light chuckle and took Tony into a tight hug. "I give you my blessing and, this time, I'm sure I' am doing the right thing. Good luck, son. I'm so happy for you both." his voice cracked as he pulled away.

"Thanks, Boss, it means a lot. Although, I have no idea how to do it." Tony confessed sighing. "I want it to be something special, like she is, and I don't have clue what to do. And what if she…"

Gibbs chuckled. "You'll find a way, DiNozzo. When it's about your true love, your soul mate, you will find the right way and the right time. Trust me. And don't worry, she won't refuse." he told the younger man with confidence. "She loves you. She truly loves you." he reassured him, patting Tony on the shoulder.

"I hope so, Boss. I hope so…because…"

"Don't hope, DiNozzo." Gibbs interrupted him. "Be sure." Gibbs told Tony and he smiled.

* * *

Tony entered the house and headed towards the stairs. As soon as he stepped into the bedroom, he heard the water running in the bathroom. He placed his cell and keys on his nightstand and began to unbutton his shirt slowly with the thought of a naked and soaking-wet Ziva crossing his mind. After he undid his pants and his boxers, which he left them fall to the floor, he pushed the door of the bathroom open and came up against the clouds of steam that were covering the whole room. Few moments later, he saw Ziva through the mist. She had her back to the door, under the stream of hot water. She was soaking wet, like Aphrodite just risen from the sea. He stared at her body from head to toe just like a predatory animal stared at its potential quarry. Ziva sensed his stare and met his gaze after she had turned her head over her right shoulder.

"Hello, Handsome." she said seductively and a grin plastered on Tony's face. Turning her body so he could have full a view of hers, she looked at him full of lust and bit her finger in a seductive way, waiting for his next move. It was the all encouragement that Tony needed. Making a few steps towards her, he got in the tub and wrapped his arms around her body.

"Did you get a tattoo of my name?" Ziva asked in disbelief, sliding her hand down his left muscled shoulder, which was marked with her name. She had the same reaction that Tony had had months ago upon seeing her shoulder marked with his name.

"I wanted to feel you close to me at every moment, every hour and every minute." he replied. "EVERY. SINGLE. SECOND. Just like you do with me." he went on whispering into her ear before he bit her earlobe, an action which was enough for Ziva heart to beat faster and fill her stomach butterflies.

"Tony." she moaned as Tony pressed her against the cold wall of the shower.

"I love you." he whispered without stopping to plant kisses all over her body. Tony loved her body. Every time he caressed it, every time he kissed it, every time he made love to it, he felt like he had discovered the meaning of life. Like he had conquered the world. And he kinda had done so, because Ziva was his entire world. He wanted make love to her every single moment, everywhere he could.

"Tony." she whispered as she started shaking in his arms. She was reaching her breaking point. She couldn't stand the sensations that he was offering. Tony sensed it, too, because the same thing was happening to him.

"Open your eyes, Ziva." he demanded and Ziva obliged, locking her eyes on his. It was the only thing they needed to reach the edge. To become one with each other. For one more time. Tony gave her a quick kiss and rested his forehead on hers. "I…" it was the only thing that he could manage to whisper with a shaking voice, gasping for breath.

"I know." Ziva said softly, her voice shaking just as much and stroked his cheek, her eyes still locked on his. "I know." she repeated and returned the quick kiss he was giving her before she nestled her head in the crook of his neck.

Tony buried his face in her wet hair, smelling the scent of the jasmine and vanilla shampoo. Standing there, with the hot water still raining down on their heads like a waterfall, they stayed hugging each other, feeling the heat radiating from their bodies. "I wish I could stay like this forever." he murmured into her hair, tightening his grip around her body.

"So do I," Ziva replied and kissed his collarbone. "So do I."

* * *

The morning came, and Tony couldn't be more anxious than he already was. After moving into the bed the activities they had had in the shower, Tony had not slept well, because his sleep was interrupted by a nightmare. He had seen that he was proposing to Ziva, but she refused him, telling him that she wasn't ready for this big step. Even he knew how much she loved him he couldn't bare the idea of being rejected by her. But this dream, and the thought of her rejection, couldn't stand in the way of his decision to pop the question that night. Grabbing his keys and his cell from the nightstand, he couldn't get out of his mind what the first drawer was hiding. He glanced around the room, making sure Ziva was not around, before he opened the drawer and took out the blue velvet box. Tony opened the box and there it was; his mother's engagement ring. It was a white gold ring, perfectly matched with the color of Ziva's Star of David necklace. The ring was encrusted with little diamonds in the Princess cut, while there was a 1 carat, round, brilliant diamond in the middle. 'The most perfect 4C's, Junior.' Senior had bragged when his mother, Elisabeth, had shown her engagement ring to Tony once, while he was still a child. And now, years later, he couldn't do anything but smile at that memory. And, of course, at Senior's words that day at the airport. Because his father was right. Ziva was the only one who deserved it, not only because of its beauty but also because of the fact that she was the woman of his life. No one woman could be compared to her. Neither Wendy nor Jeanne. Tony closed the box, but he didn't place it back into the drawer. Instead, he put it in the inside pocket of his jacket to take it with him at the office. He didn't know why, he just felt like it was the right thing to do.

"Are you ready?" Ziva asked, dragging him from his thoughts standing at the door frame, staring at him. Tony turned his head to face her.

"Yeah, I am." he replied. Taking few steps towards her, he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Did I tell you, today, how much I love you?" he asked, looking deep into her brown eyes.

Ziva chuckled lightly. She couldn't remember how many times Tony had said that to her that morning from the moment they had woken up. Wanting to tease him though, she raised her head pretending that she was deep in thought before she answered. "Ummm, no." she said playfully, looking back at him.

"Well, then, I love you, Ziva David. I love you so much." he told her, giving her a quick kiss on the lips.

"And I love you, too, Tony DiNozzo. I love you so much." she replied and cupped his cheek in her palm. "So, shall we go to work? We don't want Gibbs to head-slap us again, do we?" Tony rubbed the back of his head at the thought that, and she laughed. "Come on. Let's go." Ziva encouraged him, taking Tony's hand in hers and dragging them out of the room.

At the Navy Yard, time was passing very slowly. Tony was becoming more frustrated minute by minute. He was alone at the bullpen, typing furiously on his computer, when the 'ding' of elevator was heard and Abby stepped out of it.

"Where is everybody?" Abby asked as she approached Tony's desk.

"Gibbs is with Vance, McGee's on a coffee run, and Bishop while Ziva are at MTAC." he answered without taking his eyes from the computer screen.

"Do you have any plains for you and Ziva tonight? It's Valentine's Day." she asked with a smirk after she sat down on McGee's chair.

He didn't answer. Instead, he started groaning because his computer screen just broke. "Damn you, stupid machine!" Tony shouted slapping his computer screen.

"Tony, relax. You've been very tense lately." Abby said.

"Yeah, he has." McGee observed, making his appearance in the bullpen with five cups of coffee and a Caf-Pow in his grasp.

"Thank you, McGee. You always take care of me." the Goth replied and took the Caf-Pow, smiling while the young Agent just grinned.

Tony stood up from his chair and leaned up against Ziva's desk. "Sorry, guys. It's just-" he cut himself off mid-sentence, watching Ziva and Ellie walking down the stairs from MTAC. She was so beautiful at that moment. The way she had her hair in a ponytail, not to mention the girly clothes she was wearing that day. She was like a fairy in a Disney movie. Like an exotic princess. His princess. Watching her walking down the stairs in slow motion, like in a movie, laughing loud at Bishop's joke, he felt so...Well, he couldn't explain how he felt. But he knew one thing, this was his chance. This was the special for him. To do it now, at the place where everything started. Tony pushed himself from the desk and grabbed Ziva's arms as soon as she approached her desk, locking his two green-hazel eyes on hers.

"Are you alright?" Ziva asked her boyfriend, because his behavior the last month had made her anxious. Tony didn't answer. He just kept his eyes locked on hers and, before anyone could manage to say or do something, he knelt down on the one knee.

"Ziva," Tony started, his voice shaking and kept her two hands on his, leaving not only Ziva and the rest of the team speechless, but also the whole the MCRT floor. "I knew from the first time I met you, when you walked into that bullpen, that you were something special," he continued, not taking his eyes from hers. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he spoke again. "The one for me. And even though it took us a little more than a decade to be together, to admit our feelings for each other, I didn't regret anything that's happened since living with you the past years."

"Tony, what…?" she was ready to say something, but he cut her off.

"You told me, once, that we can't change the past, but we can hope to a better future. I want that future, Ziva, and I want it with you.'' Letting go of her hands, he slid one of his into the inside pocket of his jacket and took out the blue velvet box. With shaking hands, he opened it and the revealed his mother's ring. Taking a deep breath, and with whole MCRT floor witnessing the event, Tony asked the most important question to the most important woman of his life. "Ziva David, my soul mate, will you marry me?"

* * *

**What do you think? Will Ziva say 'yes' to Tony and make him the happiest man in the World or will she refuse and break Tony's heart forever?**


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's Note **

**Hello readers. Familiar Faces are back. **

**Well the season of NCIS has started with the show going down the hill more. I have stopped watching the show since Under the Radar (the only reason I have seen it was Roma Mafia who I adore her) but some of my friends continued until the Season 13 premiere started and they decided also to stop watching. I feel sad that this great show has ended up Harberg's cash cow for them and NOLA (I have nothing with the show but its creators), not caring for the viewers of the mother show. **

**Anyway back to the story**

**Debbie:**** I'm glad you loved the chapter. But I think you loved my author's note more. (Just joking). TIVA haters will not get into me trust me. If anything with those reviews they encouraged me more to improve my writing.**

**Guests:**** Thank you for your reviews I know you loved any word of that chapter.**

**Hell Bells and KaiP1300: ****I also want TIVA as endgame more than anything and anyone so fingers crossed.**

**Specials thanks:**

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story**

**To Laitie:****my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed even the one's who only read that story**

**Disclaimer: If I had owned it, the NCIS wouldn't have ended up a cash cow for NOLA.**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

Ziva couldn't believe what was happening, what Tony had just done. She was standing in the middle of her workplace with Tony down to one knee, asking her to marry him. She knew that Tony wasn't the only one who waited for her answer. The whole MCRT floor, including Abby on the floor and Vance and Gibbs, who were watching the whole scene from the railing, were all waiting for her answer. And it was expected. For eleven years, Tony and Ziva had been the center of discussion at NCIS. From Day One, the day that this exotic Israeli stepped into that building and started teasing the cocky playboy. Because not only the MCRT floor, but the whole Navyard, had witnessed the teasing and the fights between them, the dynamic they had together as partners. And, of course, the un-confessed love that they felt for each other all those years .Even those two years when Ziva was a thousand miles away in Israel, while Tony was wasteful with useless dates and women who didn't deserve his love, like Zoe Keates. Because both Tony and Ziva knew how deep the love was that they felt for each other.

Ziva started to feel nervous with all those pairs of eyes focused on her. She didn't know what to say to Tony. Yes, she loved him from the bottom from her soul, but was she ready for this big step? She was serious in this relationship and she didn't want to screw it up this time. Would it be wise, though, to marry Tony when they had only been dating a few months?

The moments that followed Tony's question felt like an eternity for both of them. Ziva's mind was saying it was too soon while her heart was saying a big 'yes!' She was ready to refuse the proposal, listening to her mind, but that was the exact moment that memories of her with Tony began to flash before her eyes. Their first meeting, the undercover mission, Paris, Berlin, Israel, the good and bad moments with Tony being by her side, as her rock. The moments and the days they had had as couple and many, many others. But the most important memory was that of the reason she had decided to come back to D.C and NCIS. Her love for Tony and the fact that she couldn't live without him anymore after two years away from him. How could she doubt her answer to Tony, the man, the love of her life, after all those things?

"Yes." it was the only thing Ziva could say, and Tony smiled before he slid the ring onto her finger. As soon as he stood up, he grabbed her by the waist and spun her around twice and pressed a passionate kiss on her lips.

The whole floor applauded and cheered, while Gibbs sighed in relief.

"I don't know how many years of my life were wasted waiting for Ziva to say 'yes'," he told Vance and the latter patted the ex-marine on the shoulder, smiling, before making his way back to his office.

"I love you, Tony." Ziva said without hesitation, cupping Tony's cheek.

"I love you, Ziva.'' he replied, giving her a quick kiss on her lips.

"I told you she wouldn't refuse," Gibbs shouted as came back to the squad room. "Congratulations, kid. I'm happy for you." Gibbs hugged Ziva, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you, Gibbs." she said pulling away from him.

"Pay up, McGee." Bishop said extending her palm in front of McGee.

McGee groaned in frustration. "I can't believe you were right," McGee said, annoyed, and handed her a 50 dollar bill.

"I'm an analyst! It's my job to analyze and predict things." Ellie replied putting the 50 dollars into her blouse between her breasts. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go collect." she grinned and McGee rolled his eyes.

After the team and many others Agents had congratulated the couple, Gibbs sent them home so they could celebrate their engagement.

* * *

"I can't believe you asked for Gibbs' blessing to marry me." Ziva said as both she and Tony entered the house.

"Well, he's like a father to you. And I knew that it would be important to you." he explained, sticking his hands into his pockets. "I wish I could have asked Eli's, but even if I had, I don't think he would have given it to me."

ZIva laughed. "Trust me, he would have." she told him as she was changing her clothes for the dinner that Tony had planned. He raised an eyebrow. "The way you tricked him in the interrogation." she explained, "and the fact that you saved me from Somalia made him respect you."

"You don't know that." he told her. But she smiled.

"Tony," she said, approaching him. "If my father were alive, and you had asked for his blessing, I would have married you even if he wouldn't have given it." She locked her eyes on his and he grinned. "Now, are you coming, Mr. DiNozzo? We have a reservation and we have to be there on time." she turned her head to see him smiling.

"Lead the way, Ms. David. Soon to be Mrs. DiNozzo." he said, grinning, as he gestured for her to go first. Ziva took his hand and together, they made their way down the stairs.

* * *

The dinner was spectacular. Tony had made reservation at the restaurant where they would eat during Gibbs' retirement. Ordering a bottle of the most expensive wine and one of the most delicious dishes in the restaurant, Tony and Ziva were celebrating their new life together, their engagement.

"I would like to make a toast." Tony said as he raised his glass of wine, not taking his eyes from Ziva's. She did the same thing before he went on. "To the new beginning of our lives. To the life and the future we will have together. To us."

"To us." she repeated and they cllinked their glasses together.

"This is nice." she told him, taking a sip of her wine. "You remember everything. The food, the wine, even the table we were sitting in."

"Of course I remember everything. It was the best dinner I've ever had," he replied, smiling lightly.

"Liar!" she retorted teasingly.

His face turned serious saying, "I really mean it!" He took her hand in his.

"I know." she said smiling and kissing his palm. "So, this is how you planned it, isn't it?" she asked. He looked at her, confused. "The proposal, I mean." she clarified and he blushed.

"Truth be told," he started. "I had no idea how to do it. The only things I had planned were this dinner and a few things afterwards." She raised an eyebrow. "But what happened in the bullpen today wasn't planned. I just wanted to do something special for you, and I felt like it was the right moment and the right place. Where we had first met and…I just did it."

"Really?" she asked.

Suddenly, a familiar melody played through the room, and Tony stood up from his chair extending his hand as he approached her. "They're playing our song, sweet cheeks." he said, grinning and she laughed, putting her hand in his. Tonye pulled her up to her feet, leading her to the dance floor. His eyes were locked on hers, just like they had been in Berlin, just like just as if it were happening on every other day for 8 years during their partnership. But now, they didn't have to fight the urge to kiss each other, to love each other. There were no more rules to forbid them, nor stupid flings or useless dates, where they could hide. They were together, at last, and forever. And damn, they deserved it. It wasn't more than a minute after they had started dancing when Ziva stopped and cupped his face, giving him a hungry kiss.

"I love you," she said with a trembling voice, her body shaking. He looked into her eyes. The way she had said those words made his heart tighten. They were so honest, so real. And in combination with the look in her eyes, he had shivers down his spine.

"Come on, I want to show you something," Tony said and took her hand into his, leading her off of the dance floor. He paid the check and they left the restaurant in record time. It didn't take long for them to reach their destination. Stepping out of the car, she couldn't believe her eyes. "Tony?" she managed to whisper before he grabbed her hand and led her to the lobby.

"Room 1022 please," he said as the receptionist gave him the key. The receptionist grinned, knowing what Tony had prepared for his lady.

"Tony..." She tried to say something again as they entered the elevator, but he cut her off with a kiss.

"Shhh, don't say anything." he placed his index finger on her lips. When the elevator arrived to their floor, they headed for the door of their room. Opening the door, he let her step in first. There it was, the room they had been undercover in 11 years ago. There were lit candles spread everywhere in the room while a trail of rose petals led from the door to the bed.

"I came few days ago," he started, closing the door behind him. "To make sure that they didn't re-number the rooms or change anything else since then." Tony wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin on her right shoulder. "But nothing had changed. Everything's the same."

"It's like time stopped on that day." she said, her mind going back to that memory.

"Yeah, so...do you want a glass of champagne?" he asked, heading towards the table but Ziva stopped him, grabbing his hand.

"No…There is only one thing I am interested in right now." she told him and mimicked the movements of that day when they had been undercover. Her eyes full of lust, she led him towards the bed. It wasn't long before they were kissing roughly and she was discarding her dress on the floor, just has she had a decade ago. The whole scene was like déjà vu for both them. After Ziva had removed Tony's clothes, he slammed her back on the bed. Tony laid on top of Ziva, their mouths never parting "I love you," they whispered to each other before they lost themselves in one another.

* * *

"Wow that was..." Tony tried to take a breath after yet another passionate round of love making with his fiancé,

"Unbelievable." Ziva completed for him, resting her head on his chest with her ear resting over his heart so she could hear its steady beat. "Amazing."

"Yeah." he confirmed and kissed her on the tip of her nose.

After kissing his chest over his heart, Ziva twirled a piece of his chest hair around her finger. That was when the corner of her eye caught the engagement ring. It was so beautiful. Looking at it carefully, she could see the tiny diamonds sparkle under the light of candles all over the room.

"Do you like it?" Tony asked, looking down at her face.

"I love it." Ziva said without hesitation, touching the sharp edges of the diamond.

"Good." he sighed with a smile and laid his head back on the pillow. "It was my mother's you know."

Ziva looked at him, surprised. "What?" she asked. "Why?"

Tony turned to look at her. "What do you mean 'why'?" he asked her.

"I mean, it was your mother's. And it means a lot to you, and..."

"You deserve it," Tony added.

"I have hurt you every day from the moment I met you," she started, but Tony didn't let her finish.

"When I met you, you were a wild, kick-ass ninja. A ruthless Mossad officer." he started "But deep down, your heart was always pure and kind and I saw that, and that's why I fell in love with you. And I knew that, deep down, you cared for me. Even if you were always brushing me with insults." he looked deep into her eyes. "But I wasn't a saint, either. I hurt you, too. You know that. But you…" Tony cupped her cheek. "You were the reason I changed. The reason I wanted to become a better person. And I have. With you." he took her hand in his and kissed it. "You are my everything. Besides, if my mother had met you, she would have loved you so much that she would have taken the ring off her finger just for me to propose you with." he confessed touching the ring softly.

"Thank you." Ziva responded, cupping his face.

"For what"Tony asked as her eyes began to water.

"For being you. For loving me the way you do," she replied.

Tony kissed her roughly, cupping her face. "And I thank you, too, for being you," he said, placing himself over her.

"_Dark-skinned girl, they call me but pure white was my skin, from the flame of the summer sun, my darkness came to me." _he started signing in Hebrew, making her open her eyes wide. It was an Israeli song that her mother used to sing to her and Tali. _"Dark-skinned girl, you are very beautiful your eyes are burning fire, my heart is all yours."_ he whispered before capturing her lips with his.

Breaking the kiss, Tony rested his forehead on hers, meeting her almost-tearful gaze. "_Dark-skinned girl, they call me. All those who are going down to the sea and if they call like that once again, I will go with them. __Dark-skinned girl, you are very beautiful your eyes are burning fire, my heart is all yours__.__"_ he went on, wiping a tear from Ziva's cheek with his thumb.

Ziva's heart stopped. She couldn't believe what had happened during those months she had been with him, how happy she was with him. She started to wonder what she had done in her life to deserve a man like him to love her the way he did.

"_Dark-skinned girl, they call me. If the Prince calls like that once again, I will go with him. Dark-skinned girl you are very beautiful your eyes are burning fire, my heart is all yours."_ he finished the song while she was cupping his face. Pulling him close to her, she kissed him hard. She wanted to make him know what it was like to love him. What it was like to be on fire for the man she loved.

* * *

Opening his eyes slowly the next morning, Tony moaned, shifting around to get comfortable. He grinned as he faced the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his life: a pair of brown eyes locked on his.

"Hey," he whispered, smiling. He brushed a strand of curls off of Ziva's face. She smiled, staring at him. "What's wrong?" he asked and Ziva cupped his cheek.

"I could look at you for hours and still not get enough of you." she confessed, her fingers ghosting his jaw and face.

"Same, here." he told her and drew her on top of him, kissing her softly on the lips.

"I see you are wearing my present," Ziva said, playing with the chain from the Star of David pendant she had given him last Christmas.

"Yeah. I'm honored that you gave me something so important to you and your family. Thank you."

"You deserve it. You are the only one that deserves it. Don't you ever question that," Ziva reassured him with a steady voice while she played with his hair.

Searching desperately for another topic of conversation, because he knew how the conversation about her family affected her, Tony asked. "Do you want some breakfast?"

"Yes, but here in the bedroom." she stated. "And lunch and dinner, if it's possible," Ziva went on, smiling.

"Why?"

Ziva ran her hands down his body. "Because," she started, "I don't want to waste a millisecond-" she cut herself off, and Tony raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. "...Of making love with you." she whispered into his ear with a low voice.

"Good." he said, smirking. "Because what you feel against you right now is definitely NOT my knee."

They both burst out laughing. "Well, I'm glad," Ziva commented. "So I can make my proposal a reality sooner." The woman started peppering kisses across his jaw line. It wasn't long before the blanket engulfed them from head to toe. From the outside, all that could be heard were their laughter and squeals, which quickly turned to moans full of passion. They wanted to spend the whole weekend solely in their hotel room, enjoying each other's company and they couldn't be happier than doing just that.

* * *

**Thank you for reading. I hope you liked the chapter. Let me know what you think. During my writing some future chapters came up longer. I want to know if you have problem with that. You can always contact with me and express your opinion about my Author's Note through PM, having as request the reviews will be only for the storyline. **

**P.S. The song was Shecharchoret=The Dark-skinned girl. There are many performances of the song by many singers but the chapter was inspired by the Spanish-Hebrew version 'Morenica'. It was performed in 1999 in Israel by Glykeria &amp; the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra**


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's Note **

**Hello readers. Familiar Faces are back. **

**Well the news is running fast considering the new season's spoilers. And one of them is about Jeanne's return. I was going to comment it on the previous Author's Note but I let it for the current chapter. I have lost any respect I had toward Gark &amp;Co really. Those people have started running out of ideas and bring every single forgotten character trying to prevent what the real fans want. The investable, to bring Ziva/Cote back .**

**Anyway back to the story**

**Debbie:**** I'm glad you loved the chapter. I hope you will love and this one. **

**Guest#1:****Thank you for your review I hope you like the continuation.**

**Guest#2:**** Thank you for your review. I would have never ruined that spectacular moment in the dinner by bringing the substitute. As for her appearance afterwards time will tell.**

**Guest#3: Of course ****of course I would made reference on Undercover episode. It's TIVA classic ep.**

**Sue Donley: ****Totally agree with you. We are pro writers compared to Gary and Co who are writing bull….**

**Specials thanks:**

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story.**

**To Laitie:****my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…**

**Because of you girls I still have the ability to update that story.**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed even the one's who only read that story**

**Disclaimer: If I had owned it, the NCIS wouldn't have ended up a ghost parade.**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

"Are you sure that you don't want some help with all that luggage?" Ziva asked, looking up from her book. She was seated comfortably on the balcony of their hotel room.

"Don't worry, sweet cheeks, I've got it." Tony shouted from the entryway of the hotel room. "I'm almost done!"

It had been several months since Tony and Ziva had gotten engaged, and everything in their life was perfect. Tony wanted to get married immediately, but Ziva insisted in giving them some time to adjust the new state of their relationship. He couldn't say "no" to the gorgeous creature, so they set a date in November, instead. Things were as perfect in their work lives as they were in their personal lives. Tony became Agent of the Year and Ziva couldn't be prouder of her future husband. Everything was in harmony. Although their fights got pretty explosive at times, they always ended up together again after a few hours, making out or making love in the end. They just couldn't live without each other anymore. Time flew by, and now they were at end of their summer trip in Greece while preparing for their trip to Israel to attend Angelina and Adam's wedding.

"You know, we still have time to change our minds and stay in Santorini for one more week. Then we could go for one week in Haifa just for the wedding" Tony said, leaning against the doorway of the balcony.

Ziva spun around and stood up to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "We have to go now," she said. "I have to take care of a few last details considering my father's estate."

"It just..." he hesitated, locking his eyes on the floor.

"What?" she asked, raising his chin with her thumb and locking her eyes on his.

"Every...every time..." Tony trailed off as a lump formed in his throat. "Every time I went to Israel, I came back to D.C. without you. And..." he didn't finish, but Ziva understood. During those six months, he had expressed his fears to her of her leaving. Every time he said that, her mind went back to her conversation with Angelina that day when she had come to D.C. About how mistaken the young woman had been about her now-fiancé. Now, Tony was afraid, again, that being in Israel for such a long time might make her change her mind and decide to stay there again. It hurt her like a stab in her heart the fact that she had hurt him with by leaving not only three years ago, but also the first time she had stayed in Israel. And she was mad. Mad at herself for this, but more upset that she couldn't fix it. That she couldn't ease the pain in his heart.

"Tony," Ziva started, placing her palm over his heart. "Israel is my homeland, but my home is here. With you. Wherever you are. Nothing will change my decision or my love for you, believe me. Now we are together, happy and engaged and…and I can't wait for my birthday so I can have the best birthday present ever." she caressed one cheek of his while she kissed the other. "You as my husband." she kissed him quickly on the lips.

Tony smiled at her and took her hand in his. "Well," he said, grinning, "we'd better hurry, then, sweet cheeks. We have two flights to catch." he kissed her quickly on the lips before taking the suitcases in his hands.

* * *

"I can't believe that you and Orli are getting along," Tony said, wrapping his arms around Ziva's waist. "Let alone, that she's letting us stay with her in Tel Aviv." His fiancée grinned as she enjoyed the view of the city from the balcony.

"People change," Ziva began. "As do circumstances. Part of my spiritual trip was to compromise with the idea that she really loved my father, and to stop blaming her for the whole mess. It was my father's and my own choices that led me to where I was."

"You can't blame yourself for everything that happened." he said, turning her around to look at her.

"Not for everything, but for the most of it," the woman retorted, turning her head back toward the window. "Just...let's stop talking about the past, OK? Let's enjoy the view. It's great isn't it?"

"Yeah. You know, we should come here more often. Maybe on summer vacations." Tony's statement caught ZIva's attention. "Or we could move here when we retire." he smiled at her and leaned in to kiss her tenderly on the neck. "I could go anywhere, as long as I have you by my side." The woman turned to face him and leaned into his arms, wrapping her own around his neck and kissing him roughly. They both moaned into the kiss that deepened more and more by the second and Ziva's hands clenched tightly at his hair as he intertwined his fingers into her wild curls.

"Ahem!" A woman cleared her throat, bringing them back to reality. "Sorry for ruining the...moment," Orli said, smiling and both the lovers blushed. "Welcome, Ziva. It's good to see you." she went on and hugged her tight.

"I'm glad to see you, again, too." Ziva said, pulling away from the older woman.

"Agent DiNozzo," Orli pronounced. "I'm glad to see you, too, again. Especially under these circumstances," she continued, extending her hand.

"Tony." he said, shaking her hand. "And I'm glad to see you, too, Director."

"Orli." the Director of Mussad said. "And I'm sorry if I kept you waiting but you know how work is. Dinner is ready. We can go to the dining room. Please follow me." the woman gestured them to go first and the three of them headed for the dining room.

"So, when is the wedding?" Orli asked once they had sat down, taking a sip of her wine.

"November 12, on Ziva's birthday." Tony said, taking his fiancee's hand in his.

"What about the preparations for the wedding?" Orli asked. "I mean, don't you have to prepare your marriage instead of vacationing in Israel?"

Ziva grinned. "Well, Abby, Ellie, Breena, and Delilah took over the preparations. And we couldn't say 'no' without the danger of bodily harm." she laughed lightly.

"And, of course, you've been invited. " Tony added.

"Of course I'll come. I wouldn't miss it for anything." Orli replied, smiling. "However, you should know, Ziva that Eli would have been proud of you for getting married."

"I don't know how proud he would have been about the groom, though." Tony mumbled.

Orli laughed. "Trust me, he would have been, Tony. But that's another story, and a big one at that."

After they had their dinner, including dessert, Orli asked Ziva to go with her to her study so they could talk in private. Tony, meanwhile, excused himself to the guest bathroom to take a shower.

"What's going on?" Ziva asked in Hebrew, confused. She sat in the chair across Orli once the door was shut.

"I wanted give you this." Orli answered in the same language, giving a file to her with her name on it. Taking the file on her hands, Ziva immediately recognized her father's handwriting. "I found it by accident in some old documents of your father's." she explained. "I didn't open it, so I don't know what's in it." she continued. Ziva nodded. There was a moment of silence before Orli spoke again, leaning against her chair. "So," she began, "you are getting married to Agent Dinozzo."

"Uhuhh..." Ziva mumbled, staring at the file.

"Does he know the truth? About why you stayed in Israel?"

"I told him that I wanted to protect him from myself and my past. To heal myself. I said I was beginning a spiritual trip." Ziva replied, turning back to the older woman.

Orli sighed."So you told him half of the truth." she said, more as a statement than a question.

"We've talked about this…."

Orli cut her off. "I know," she said. "But he has the right to know. He will be your husband."

"It will hurt him. I can't drag him back to that again. He's already had enough guilt about that summer," Ziva whispered. "About…." she trailed off, sighing. "It will only make things worse."

"You know you are like a daughter to me. You have to tell him. If you don't, someone else will." Orli warned her.

"You promised that this would stay between us!"

"I won't tell him. But Malachi might. Liat might. Vance might." she explained.

"Malachi and Liat are your officers. You can make them keep their mouths shut." Ziva shot back. "And Vance won't. He once had the opportunity to tell to Tony everything, but he didn't."

"You need to tell him." Orli insisted, leaning against her desk and folding her hands.

"Listen, I helped you and Vance stop Ariv Ulman. End of story." Ziva said sternly.

"Ziva-" Orli started, but Ziva cut her off.

"Listen, if it hadn't been for Tony, I wouldn't have helped you. I stopped Ariv-"

"For him." Orli completed. "I know, I know you it wrote into that list. But-"

"There are no 'but's," Ziva insisted. "I stopped Ariv for Tony. That's one more reason to keep it a secret from him." she clarified. "And what am I supposed to say, anyway?" she hissed. "Hey, Tony, you know what? I was determined on going back to you that summer when I told you to come to Israel. But, besides Parsa's attempt to kill me, Mossad informed me that Saleem's brother was planning to blow up both NCIS and Mossad in revenge for his brother. But don't worry, when you found me, I was gathering intel and working with Mossad, so I had to stay in Israel for almost 8 months to take him down. No, Tony, I didn't lie to you. I wanted to change, I did change, and I had my spiritual trip because of those things that Deena told me but first I had to help Mossad and NCIS kill some bad guys." She barely took a breath as she kept going. "Does that sound persuasive to you, Orli? Because it doesn't sound like it to me." Ziva struggled to keep her voice down and her anger at bay. "Besides, I don't think he would appreciate the fact that you knew where I was all those months while he was looking for me in the first place, but you pretended that you didn't. Not to mention the file you gave him with all of that misleading information so he could 'supposedly' track me down."

"Ziva-" Orli tried, but Ziva cut her off again.

"No! As much as you insist, no, I won't tell him." the younger woman insisted. "He has already felt enough guilt that he shouldn't have. We will try to forget the whole thing, and our relationship will _not _be ruined. Do you know he had even wished to be at Michael's place, dead, as long as I hadn't have gone on that mission?" her voice cracked.

"You know best, Ziva. I'm just saying what I think is right. The final decision is yours." Orli stated in defeat, leaning back on her chair.

"This is what's right. I'm happy. WE ARE HAPPY at last and I am not going to ruin it this time." she declared determinedly. "I should get going. Good night, Orli, and thanks for the file." Ziva let out a breath and stood.

"Good night, Ziva. See you tomorrow at breakfast." Orli said. Ziva nodded before she closed the door behind her. "Oh, Eli, my love," Orli went on, sighing and caressed Eli's photo on her desk with her fingerprints.. "She's just like you; Completely stubborn."

* * *

Ziva entered the guest bedroom and left the file on the nightstand. Her discussion with Orli had made her very nervous. Yes, she had lied to everyone. To Gibbs, to the team, to Tony, but her participation in that op had been a matter of life and death. She couldn't let people in NCIS to get hurt because of her. She couldn't let Saleem's brother hurt her surrogate family,especially Tony.

'Yes, I did the right thing after all,' she thought.

Ziva turned back to the file on her nightstand and sighed. What might he have left her, there? Taking a deep breath, she reached down and opened the file. Inside, the woman found a key and a letter. She didn't know the key's use or from where it came. Hoping the explanation was in the letter, she began to read. It was written in English.

_My Ziva,_

_If you are reading this letter, then I must be dead. I know that I have caused a lot of pain since you were a child. The story with Orli, with what you have been through because of Mossad, with ordering you to kill Ari, with Somalia… I have never been the father that a child deserved for you and Ari. But even when I knew that you were my last remaining child, I treated you cruelly. Depriving you of your happiness with Agent DiNozzo the summer that your boss retired, because, my Ziva, I could see it both yours and DiNozzo's eyes, the love you had for each other, even back then. Then, with Rivkin, and the fact that I made him play with you so I could manipulate you. And, of course, Somalia, the biggest regret of my life._

Tears began to roll down her cheeks from reading her father's words, tightening her grip on the paper.

_My Ziva, I hope you can forgive me one day for all the pain I've caused you, and I hope for you to be happy and have whatever you deserve in your life. And I know it will be with Agent DiNozzo. He's the one for you, my Ziva. The only one who deserves your love. He has proven it to you and me countless times, and you know that. I just hope that one of you will have the courage to express your feelings to the other before it's too late. I give you my blessing, Ziva, for a happy life. I'll always love you._

_P.S. On the first drawer of my desk in my house is the Star Of David that belonged to my great grandfather. Take it, and give it to Agent DiNozzo. He's the only one who really deserves it._

_Your father_

Ziva couldn't take it anymore and sobs filled the room and the letter getting wet from her tears.

"Ziva? What's wrong?" Tony asked as he emerged from the bathroom, dressed in his OSU workout clothes.

"You were wondering if we had my father's blessing." Ziva said, struggling to calm. "If you deserved the necklace I gave you. I think this answers your question." she handed the letter to him before she lying down and wrapping her arms around her knees.

Tonye sat at the edge of the bed and read the letter quickly. Looking at her, he lay down next to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Why do you think he wrote it in English?" he asked.

The woman shrugged. "I don't know. I guess he wanted you read it, too." she replied casually.

"Well, I never expected your father to think so highly of me. Let alone give us his blessing." he stated.

She rolled over to face him. "Rule #51, Tony," she said and rested her palm against his cheek. "Sometimes you're wrong."

"Yeah, I was wrong about him." the man said and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I thought he hated me after the Rivkin fiasco."

Ziva shook her head. "On the contrary, you earned his respect, like I told you before."

Tony didn't reply. Instead, he just hugged her tight, her head laid against his chest. He didn't understand how the hour had passed. When he was with her, time flew by without notice. He could never spend enough time with his love.

"I love you, Ziva," he said and kissed the top her head. "I love you so much." Not hearing his fiancée's answer, he leaned over and saw her peacefully asleep in his arms. Tightening his grip on her, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep. It didn't matter that his warrior princess didn't answer this time. And he couldn't be happier that he would listen to those tiny, but important, words from her for the rest of his life.

**Thank you for reading. I hope you liked the chapter. I don't know for you, but for me Orli is the most favorite Mossad character. As for Marina Sirtis was amazing on that role. ****Let me know what you think and remember: **You can always contact with me and express your opinion about my Author's Note through PM, having as request the reviews will be only for the storyline.****


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Note **

**Hello readers. Familiar Faces are back. **

**I really don't know how many times I have rewritten that Author's Note. The truth is I delayed the updating and the news for the show came out really fast. **

**Anyway, it's a fact. Michael Weatherly is leaving the show. An era has come to an end. Tony DiNozzo, TIVA has come to end (Although we don't which it will be for now), and my opinion the show has come to an end. However, I have to inform you that Tony DiNozzo's end from the show doesn't mean the end of Familiar Faces. This story will be a long ride for me and I hope you will join me.**

**I wish Michael, Cote and every cast member that left the show good luck to their future and current projects.**

**Anyway back to the story**

**Debbie:**** Thank you for your review, but I might disagree with you that it was Vance the one the one who encouraged Ziva to go after Bondar. I think subconsciously was Gibbs.**

**Guest#1:****Thank you for your review. I feel disgusted the way they had portrayed Eli just to make Gibbs look like a hero again.**

**Guest#2:**** Thank you and the other TIVA/Ziva haters for your reviews. The second review really made thought a lot considering what I will do in the continuation of the story. The truth is I thought your suggestion but nah…I will keep them together. :P :P Anyway, every time, you are writing bad reviews you make TIVA fandom stronger (there is no such coincidence that I don't delete your anonymous reviews. I don't delete them on purpose :P ) but if you have the guts review with your penname and don't play sneak and hide with guest reviews. Plus, your reviews give me motive not only to improve my writing but also to write more on that story, not to mention the other ideas I have in mind. Let me inform you TIVA haters. Gark might have kill TIVA on the show but it will never manage to do it in our hearts. I hope now with Michael's departure you understand how we felt when Ziva left. And those who wish Tony's death than the reunion with the ex-Mossad Officer let me tell you. The only thing I'm feeling for you is pity. Shame on you to call yourselves fans.**

**Guest#3:**** Lies soon will be over I promise.**

**Sue Dooley: ****Thank you for your review as always.**

**Buffalogirl: ****Thank you. My opinion for that particular writer is that she's Cancer for the show.**

**Specials thanks:**

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story.**

**To Laitie:****my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…Hang on girl.**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed even the one's who only read that story**

**Disclaimer: If I had owned it, the NCIS wouldn't have ended up a recycling bin of past stories.**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

"Are you alright?" Tony asked, wrapping his arms around Ziva's waist from behind. After a few days in Israel, Ziva had wanted to visit Tali's grave in Be're Sheva.

"Yes." Ziva replied, placing her hands on top of his. "You know." she went on, turning herself around in his arms, "if Tali had met you, she would have loved you." She took his hands in hers.

"What was she like?" he asked curiously.

"She was everything I wasn't," she said. "She was a good student, smart, a pure heart…"she grinned at her memory.

"You are smart." he assured her. "And you have a pure heart."

Ziva shook her head. "She was special." she went on. "She did ballet and played the piano. She sang just for fun, not for any other reason like I did. But what I loved the most about her was her innocence. The quirky way she always acted. Every time I picked her up from school, she would beg me to buy her junk food. And when I couldn't take her to the opera, I took her to the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. She loved music so much. She was…..an angel." she revealed and tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"Is that why you're so protective of Ellie?" Tony asked. "Does she remind you of Tali?"

She nodded. "Sort of," she admitted. "Plus, Tali would have been Ellie's age." Ziva sighed. "She was everything to me. To Ari. Eli was only proud of her."

"Your father was proud of you, too." he reminded her. "The letter-"

"My father wrote that letter so he would be expiate for Somalia and Ari. He was proud of me but only as a Mossad Officer." she said sternly. "Nothing more."

"I wish I could have met her," he said, looking over at Tali's grave wanting to drop that line of subject. He didn't response on Ziva's words. The truth was he didn't know what to do say. Ziva was right. If Eli indeed had loved her, he wouldn't have ordered to kill her own brother; he wouldn't have sent Rivkin to play on her. And most of all if Eli had really loved Ziva, he wouldn't have her sent on a mission what it was obviously a death sentence for her.

"I wish you had," his fiancé agreed, caressing him and looking deep into his eyes completely oblivious for Tony's thoughts. After a few moments of silence, she blurted, "I want to go to the farmhouse where I was born."

Tony's heart stopped. "OK" was the only thing he said, full of fear and swallowing a lump in his throat.

* * *

"Nothing's changed." Tony stated, closing the door behind him as he entered the house. Ziva wondered around the dusty living room. "It feels like yesterday when you sat on that couch and told me that you were not coming back to D.C. with me." he went on, lowering his eyes toward the floor, sitting on said couch.

Ziva walked over to him and took his hand in hers. "Come." she said. Tony raised his head and looked at her. "Come" she repeated. Tony stood up and allowed her to drag him into a room with a queen-sized bed. She lay on top of it and patted the space next to her. He lay beside her and gazed into her eyes. "I spent countless nights in this bed, wondering what would have happened if had gone back to D.C. with you." Ziva said, caressing his jaw line. "Every time I had those thoughts, I had regrets for not following you. But, back then, something inside me was telling that it was the right thing to do. Something was telling me that it was best to stay away from you. So I did."

"I know what you're thinking." Ziva went on, her eyes locked on his. "I meant what I said in Santorini. You are my home, and nothing and no one can change that. You are my soul mate and I will be with you forever." the woman nestled her face in the crook of his neck.

Tony didn't say anything. He knew that Ziva loved him and that she was telling the truth. All his doubts suddenly disappeared. He took her in his arms and buried his face in her hair. It wasn't long before they were both asleep.

* * *

Tony woke up alone on the bed. He looked up and around the room. It was dark, but the bright light of the full moon was peeking through the window. He scanned the house for Ziva, but she was nowhere to be found. He headed outside to make sure the car was still there. It was, and he was about to go around back when he heard a strange noise. It sounded like someone was digging in the ground between the olive trees. He went to investigate, and stopped dead in his tracks. Ziva was there, on her knees, digging at the spot where she had buried her "I WILL" list.

Ziva dug and dug until she found the box she had buried three years ago. She grinned and sat back on her heels, opening it.

There was nothing inside.

"What the Hell-?" she questioned surprised in Hebrew but was interrupted by Tony.

"Looking for this?" he asked, holding up the list with his right hand.

"How-" Tony cut her off again.

"Does it really matter?" he asked, coming closer. "Because what really matters to me is a life with you that is not based on a piece of paper."

Ziva stood and faced him. "That's exactly I want, too." she replied, taking the list from his grip. "Some things on this list have come true. Others haven't." she explained. "I don't want a life based on a piece of paper anymore." Ziva pulled out from the pocket of her pants she had reason she wanted back that list. The woman flicked on her lighter and put the paper on fire. Throwing the burnt paper on the ground, she locked her eyes on his and continued. "I want a life based on this." She placed her palm over his heart. "And this," she said, taking his hand in hers and placing it over her heart.

Hearing these words, with their hands placed on each other's hearts, he felt so loved. He knew that she really meant those words.

He placed both of his hands on her sides while she was cupped his face, caressing his cheeks, mimicking the position they had been in three years ago, in the same spot. But this time, they weren't fighting the urge to kiss each other. This time, they closed the gap between them with a tender kiss. It quickly became passionate. Breaking that kiss, another followed. And another. And another. With each kiss became hungrier than the last. They both realized where this was heading, and it wasn't long before they ended up inside the house and in the bedroom. A few moments later, he slowly pulled off her shirt, leaving her in just her underwear and running his hands over her sides. She made slow work of his pants with nimble fingers. Neither wanted to hurry. Both wanted their love-making to be slow, sweet, and passionate that night.

He cupped her face in both hands and looked deep into her chocolate eyes. "I gave you my heart. Please protect it." he said with a trembling voice.

"With my life, Tony," she replied without hesitation. "With my life." They kept eye contact as she pulled his head down and kissed him. "Make love to me," she murmured after she broke the kiss. He leaned and kissed her gently, pushing her lightly towards the bed.

The back of her knees hit mattress, making her break the kiss briefly as she fell into a sitting position on the edge of the bed. He bent down to kiss her again and pushed her down.

As much as he tried, he couldn't get enough of her. He couldn't get enough of her kisses or her touches, or her breaths on his skin. As much as he tried to, he couldn't find what she had in any other woman. He couldn't find what she had made him feel that night in Paris in any other woman. He didn't want to take his lips from her soft, hot skin. Didn't want to lose one second of tasting her. He was determined to explore her body inch by inch, to give her the care that no one else had ever given her, not even him.

Closing his eyes, he shivered as she told him how much she loved him while she ran her hands down to his body. Every time she did that, he felt electricity piercing through his body.

As for her, she loved his touch. She loved the feeling of his hot breath on her skin. She had had plenty of sex before, but none of her previous lovers had ever made her feel like he did. Maybe because she had never truly given her heart to any of them. They had only been for her physical needs, nothing more.

That wasn't only because all of them had meant nothing to her, but also because of the fact that she and Tony had always belonged to each other. They were soul mates. It wasn't just sex for them. It was love. Love, because it was what their souls wanted. Something that heir hearts wanted, not only their bodies.

But that night, it was different. Almost unreal. They didn't know why. Maybe it was because they were in that nostalgic farmhouse. Each scratch on their shoulders, each mark on their sweaty bodies, wasn't a sign of sexual tension that time. It was a declaration of love. Of an unconditional love for each other. Neither of them wanted that night to end. They wanted to make love to each other until the end of time.

When the release came, they didn't pull away from each other. They still needed each other. A need that had always been endless. And always would be.

* * *

Ziva woke the next day feeling the soft warm kisses on her back. She could feel Tony's gentle lips caressing her olive skin, his tongue trailing the marks of the tattoo on her shoulder. Lying on her stomach, she was denying leaving the memory of their love making the night before. She couldn't stop smiling at the thought of him and of the way he treated her every time they made love. Every time they gave into to each other. She often wondered if the previous women in his life had had the same treatment, or if she was the only woman to have the particular privilege to feel the tenderness with which he treated not only her body, but her soul, too. But it didn't matter anymore. He was all hers, now. She would be the only woman to make love with him. The only woman to feel his body pressed against hers for the rest of her life.

"You have a very nice way of saying 'Good morning' to a woman," she noted, grinning as he continued planting kisses on her back.

"Only one woman in particular." he whispered into her ear, placing a kiss on the nape of her neck. "You taste so good," he went on, licking her back with his tongue.

"Mmmm, Tony," she moaned as his mouth traveled all over her back. "And you make me feel so…"

"Horny?" he suggested into her ear, nibbling on her earlobe.

She gave one more moan as shivers ran down her spine. "I wanted to say 'good,' or 'special'," she said. "But 'horny' will work, too." She rolled onto her back.

"Good to know." he said and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before planting more kisses along her jaw line.

She tilted her head back to give him better access. "Tony," she began to moan. He didn't answer. Instead, he continued peppering kisses along her neck, thinking about going further. "Tony," she moaned again. "Please, stop...We need to go Haifa." she explained.

"Later." he mumbled. "I want to make love to you first. Then we can go wherever you want." He placed himself on top of her. With a quick move, she rolled them over and she was on top of him.

"As much I would love to," Ziva reasoned. "we had better get going. It's a five-hour trip." She placed a hungry kiss on his lips.

"Aw, come on." he protested as he tried to kiss her again. But she shook her pointer finger in disapproval at him.

"No. We are leaving as soon as I'm done in the shower." she stated, wrapping the sheets around her. "Alone," she clarified. She stood and disappeared into the bathroom. He sighed and covered his face with a pillow.

* * *

"It's really hot in here." Tony complained, taking a sip of his cold coffee. He had insisted on both him and Ziva drinking coffee on the Tel Aviv beach, gazing at the endless blue of the Mediterranean Sea. It was a little stop before reaching Haifa.

"Mmmm," Ziva moaned, biting a cookie. He turned to look at her. "It tastes so good." she went on. "So good." she repeated, closing her eyes as she tasted the cookie's goodness.

The combination of the heat and her moaning made him start to feel quite uncomfortable in his pants.

"Do you want a cookie, my little hairy-butt?" she asked seductively, bringing the remains of the cookie towards his mouth.

Biting it, he grinned at her and tried to kiss her on the lips as he chewed.

"Tony!" She struggled to avoid him, laughing. But a familiar voice made their smiles disappear.

STAY. AWAY. FROM. US!" Tony exclaimed as he stood up from his chair.

"Tony, calm down." she said, touching his arm.

"No, I won't!" he argued. "She's the reason the reason we lost three years of our lives, Ziva, and you're asking me to calm down!?"

Ziva sighed rubbed her face with her hand and looked back at Tony.

"Listen." Deena started, and both Tony and Ziva turned to her. "I didn't know…" She sighed. "Can I talk to you, Ziva?" she asked, looking at the other woman helplessly. "Alone." she added as she looked at Tony.

"No," Tony said sternly, but Ziva touched his arm.

"Go, I'll be alright." his beloved said.

"Ziva-" Tony tried to protest, but she stopped him.

"Really, I'll be aright." she insisted, kissing his palm.

"Fine!" he conceded. "I'll go to pay the check." Tony brushed his way past Deena to the cashier.

Ziva gestured for her former friend to come sit across from her. "So, what do you want to talk about?" she asked coldly once the other woman had sat down.

"First of all, congratulations." Deena stated, gesturing to Ziva's engagement ring. Ziva immediately slipped her hand under the table. "When is the big day?" Ziva rolled her eyes.

"November 12, my birthday." Ziva replied. "But you're not here to discuss wedding details, are you?"

"No." Deena said casually

"So you're here to guilt-trip me again about Ari." Ziva stated.

"Ziva-"

"What?" she interrupted angrily.

"I'm sorry." Deena said. "A few months after what happened, I tried to find you to apologize. I'm sorry for the way I treated you that night, for my words, for lying to Agent Dinozzo when he came and visited me, what I told him in the hospital because of my anger, how selfish I was. I'm sorry for everything. I couldn't accept what Ari had done, and that you had killed him. I couldn't accept that you had the man you loved and I didn't…"

"Apology accepted," Ziva responded sternly went to stand.

"Ziva, wait!" Deena begged. "You don't mean it. You just said that to get rid of me."

"I mean it. And I believe it. When I came back to Israel with Ari's body and explained everything you, you told me that you understood. But that was a lie." She sighed. "But what hurt the most was that you didn't believe that I wasn't following my father's orders."

"I-" Deena started, but Ziva raised her hand and to stop her.

"He was my brother, Deena. My own flesh and blood. How could you believe that I had killed him on purpose?" Her voice cracked.

Tony watched the scene between the women, leaning against the car. He could see that Ziva was upset. He started to wonder if he had done the right thing by leaving her with Deena. He started to fear that Ziva would have a mental break down, and the events of 3 years ago would repeat themselves.

"I loved him." Ziva explained. "But I couldn't let him to kill another innocent person. He had already killed Agent Todd and lied to me about it. The man I shot that night in the basement wasn't Ari. He wasn't your boyfriend, and he certainly wasn't my brother."

Deena dropped her gaze toward the ground.

"I forgive you, Deena." Ziva said. "But don't ask me to be your friend again. Don't try to contact me again. Goodbye." She turned and left.

"Ziva!" Deena shouted. Ziva froze on the spot. "I hope you find the happiness you want! You deserve it!" the doctor continued. Ziva began walking towards Tony again, beating down the urge to turn around and answer her.

"Are you alright?" Tony asked, rubbing her shoulders as soon as she had approached him.

"Let's go." she replied, avoiding his eyes and stepping into to the car. Tony also stepped into the car and started the engine, ready to head for Haifa.

* * *

**Thank you for reading. I hope you liked the chapter. Part of the chapter was inspired from a song 'Mehri Na Vroume Ourano by Glykeria (who else LOL). Anyway, let me know what you think and remember: ****You can always contact with me and express your opinion about my Author's Note through PM, having as request the reviews will be only for the storyline**


	29. Chapter 29

**Author's Note **

**Hello readers. Familiar Faces are back. **

**Well, the last official news from CBS is that there are no currents plains for Cote's return. However, we all know what the most fans want. Well, I really want Cote back but I would be happy even if with off-screen TIVA. But don't lose your hope TIVA shippers. All bets are off for now. The substitute has gone and Dr. Frog has reappeared and God knows if she will be back again. I really don't know what writers are doing and what will do. I really don't. God help us.**

**Anyway back to the story**

**Debbie:**** Thank you for your review. I totally agree with your words. Deena Bashan and the whole PPF episode were the worst ideas that Gary could have come up with for Ziva's exit.**

**Guests: ****Thank you for your review. If you have to thank someone for continuing that story is Beatrix acs. I had decided to abandon that story many times but she the one who was changing my mind all the time.**

**Sue Dooley: ****Thank you for your review as always.**

**Buffalogirl: ****Thank you for reviewing. First of all let's see through spoilers first how Michael's exit would be. If they would be TIVA I promise the end of the story would be as much as close it could be on the TIVA finale.**

**Sharon: ****Thank you for your kind. I know you feel. I hope 'Loosen Canons' will be the last episode where the Dr. Frog appeared but with Gary and his…'organic' things you never know.**

**Specials thanks:**

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story.**

**To Laitie:****my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…Hang on girl.**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed even the one's who only read that story**

**Disclaimer: If I had owned it you know what it would have happened **

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

After two hours of driving, the pair arrived at Haifa. Ziva had been silent the whole ride, looking outside the window and thinking about her meeting with Deena. She knew very well that Tel Aviv was a small town compared to D.C. but she still hadn't expected that meeting. And she definitely hadn't expected the development it had. Tony, on the other hand, had worried about the impact that the conversation might have had on Ziva. He worried that that Deena had dragged her back into a guilt trip about Ari. He was scared about Ziva having a meltdown and possibly deciding to stay in Israel to "find herself" again.

"Hey, are you OK?" he asked as he turned off the car in front of a beautiful beach house.

"I'm….not fine." she admitted, looking away from him.

Tony stepped out of the car hastily and slammed the door shut. Ziva watched him carefully as she also climbed out of the car. "I knew it!" he yelled and kicked the car door. "I knew it I shouldn't have left you alone with her!"

"Tony, calm down." she begged.

"How can you ask me to calm down!?" he demanded.

"Please!" Ziva hissed.

Tony sighed. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's just…" he ran his fingers through his hair. "I mean, I let you talk to her and she pulled you right back down-"

"Hey," she cut off softly, coming around the car and walking right over to him. "She didn't pull me back down there. I just freaked out a little when I saw her, that's all." she explained, touching his arm.

The man lowered his head. "I'm scared, Ziva." he confessed. "I'm scared that the conversation with her might have ch-"

"Don't! Please! Don't start again!" she pleaded, rubbing her forehead.

Ziva raised his chin with her thumb and looked deep into his green-hazel eyes. What she saw in them broke her heart. It took her back to that fateful night when he left her back on the Tel Aviv tarmac three years ago. She saw fear like that every time he had doubts of her return to D.C. was permanent.

Cupping his face with her palms, she leaned into his face and kissed him passionately. Moving her hands to the back of his head, she pushed hard against his lips. The kiss was deep, but also so endearing that Tony got lost in it. Never in his life had Tony been kissed by a woman the way she always kissed him. Even when they were undercover, he knew that this kiss was special.

"Wow!" he breathed, pleasantly surprised, after breaking the kiss. "What was that for?"

"I wanted to show you how I felt about you," she replied. "So you can never question my love and my words again." Ziva gently brushed his cheek with her knuckles. Tony remembered the first time he said those very words to her. "I love you." she told him, giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

"I love you, too." Tony replied, smiling but then his eyes suddenly widened. "Oh shit!" he exclaimed with terror, looking at how bad he had dented the car with his kicking. "What are we going to tell Orli?" he exclaimed, stepping closer to the car to get a better look at the dent.

"The truth, Tony." Ziva said seriously, struggling not to laugh. She was lucky he couldn't see her face. "That you kicked her new, black, convertible Mercedes. The least she'll do is torture you 'til death."

The man turned to look at her, asking, "You're teasing me, aren't you?" He stood up with a smirk, heading straight for her. Ziva chuckled.

"Don't worry," she reassured him, taking his hand in hers as they both headed towards the house. "Orli likes you so much that I'm sure if you apologize then she won't even make you pay for the damage." Upon reaching the front door, Ziva reached out and rang the doorbell.

Tony opened his mouth to say something, but the door opened before he had a chance to. There stood a tan-skinned woman with brown eyes. She looked to be in her early seventies.

"Doda!" Ziva exclaimed, hugging the woman tight.

"Oh, Zivaleh, my dear girl," the woman murmured in Hebrew. "l missed you so much!" Tears began pooling in her eyes. Pulling away, the older woman noticed Tony's presence for the first time. "You must be Anthony," the woman exclaimed hapilly in English.

"Nice to meet you Mrs-" he began, but she cut him off.

"Oh, please, call me Nettie." she said with a smile, embracing the man in a tight hug. "Thanks for the flowers." she whispered in his ear. Tony's eyes widened. Tony couldn't but feel uncomfortable about the way he had talked to her years ago over the phone. "He is so cute." Nettie told Ziva. The niece just chuckled. "Very, very cute." Nettie repeated, pinching his cheeks as she pulled away from the hug. "Come inside," she continued, taking their hands and leading them inside.

* * *

"That was delicious, thank you." Tony said after taking the last bite of his Falafel from the second portion of food that Nettie had given him. "That was great!" he rubbed his stomach in satisfaction.

"Would you like some more?" Nettie asked as she reached for Tony's plate, but Ziva stopped her.

"Ok, that's it." Ziva said, sounding annoyed. "You've had enough."

"But-" he began, but Ziva didn't let him finish.

"No 'but's!" she said before offering an explanation. "You won't be able to eat dessert."

"There's dessert?" Tony asked, his face alight with a boyish grin. Ziva rolled her eyes.

Nettie laughed out loud. "You two are so adorable together!" she said. "So, will you tell me what you're doing in Israel, now?"

"Doda, did you forget that Adam is getting married in three days?" Ziva asked, surprised.

"Oh, Adam, my little boy." Nettie said, sighing in nostalgia. "It seems like just yesterday the five of you were running around the beach and playing in the water. And now he became a grown man and is getting married! I wish his family had lived to see what a decent man has become."

"Yes, I wish so, too," Ziva said sadly, knowing that her own family, too, wouldn't be able to see her happily marrying the man she loved. But she was grateful that her mother's sister was still alive, so she would have someone by her side. Not to mention her surrogate family: Gibbs, Abby, Ducky, Ellie, Palmer, McGee, and Hell, even Vance.

"But we didn't just come here for the wedding," Ziva admitted and took Tony's hand in hers as she spoke. "Doda," Ziva continued softly, holding her aunt's undivided attention. "We have something to tell you. Tony and I are engaged, and we are getting married in two months. On my birthday." Nettie looked at the couple curiously.

"I thought you two were already married," she said.

"Doda!" Ziva exclaimed rolling her eyes. Nettie smirked.

"I'm just joking, Metuka," the aunt explained, laughing. The older woman stood and came around the table to Ziva to hug her tight. "Mazel Tov, Metuka.," she said, her voice cracking. "Your mother would have been so proud." Pulling away from her niece, she turned to Tony and hugged him just as tight. "Make her happy, young man," she murmured into his ear. "She deserves it." she choked on those last words.

"She does," Tony agreed. "And I will." Nettie kissed his cheek and wiped the tears from her eyes as she pulled away from him.

* * *

Later that day, Tony was wandering the house while Ziva and Nettie cleaned the kitchen. As much as he had insisted on helping, both women had refused to let him. So, after carrying all the luggage into their borrowed bedroom, he started to tour the place where Ziva had spent most of her summers as a child before she began her Mossod Officer in front of the glass partition of Nettie's living room, he got lost in his thoughts as he gazed at the Mediterranean Sea. He loved sea. He loved the way he could feel and smell the salt in the air. He loved the sound of the waves crashing against the beach, and feel of the sea breeze hitting him and couldn't be happier that their room had this same view from its balcony. Slowly, he turned his attention back into the living room. In front of him was the piano, upon which was placed a photo of a young man dressed in an Air Force uniform. It must have been Nettie's fiancé, Aaron. Ziva had told him about Aaron during the flight from Athens to Tel Aviv.

'It was love at the first sight, just like us,' she had told him. He had laughed, but then had asked for the story. He was still impressed by the depth of the feelings that the older couple had seemed to have for each other. For Nettie, Aaron was the man of her life-her soul mate, and losing him in the Six Day War a few weeks after their engagement had ripped her heart out of he chest. That was why she had never approved of Ziva's decision to join Mossad. War had taken away all the people she loved, including Ziva, when she had been declared dead in Somalia.

Tony sighed at these thoughts and headed toward the couch, mentally shooing them away. Glancing at the fireplace, he spotted many family photos placed on the mantle. He slowed his gaze to get a better look. There was a photo Ziva with Ari and Tali when they were kids, a photo that he had seen before. It had been in Ziva's apartment during those movie nights, and now there was a copy in their house. On the fireplace mantle, there was another photo of a young Ziva. In this one, she was with Tali in front of the Opera in Cairo. Judging by Ziva's appearance the photo, it had to have been taken a little before Ziva had come to NCIS for the first time. There were several more photos. There was one with Ziva and Ari on a motorcycle, one with Tali riding horses, another with Ziva and her parents. However, there was one photo that intrigued him the most. It was one with five children, three girls and two boys sitting on the beach. He easily picked out Tali, Ari, and Ziva. But the second boy in the photo, sitting next to Ziva, reminded him of someone in particular. Tony jumped when Ziva wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.

"Hey," Ziva said softly. "I didn't mean to scare you. I didn't realize you were thinking so hard." she kissed the area of his scar on his back. Tightening her grip, she rested her head on his back.

"I was looking at the pictures,"Tony replied. Ziva raised her head to look at the pictures he was talking about. "This kid," he went on, pointing at the unknown boy in the picture. "He reminds of someone, but I can't put my finger on it."

Ziva looked at the picture closely. "He reminds you of someone because you've met him," she replied. Tony turned to look at her. "That kid," she continued, pointing at the boy in the photo, "is Adam. And that girl next to Tali is Adena, Adam's sister."

"Adam has a sister?" he asked, looking back at the photo and turned back to look at Ziva again.

Ziva's smile faded. "Had." she corrected, taking his hand and leading him to the couch. They sat, and she opened the drawer of the coffee table to pull out a photo album. "Adam had dreams as child," she went on softly as she opened the album. "But his parents died in a car accident when he was thirteen. He and Adena were raised by his uncle. After his parents' death, Adena was all that mattered to him." She flipped through the pages of the album as she spoke. "That was our first day in IDF," she said, pointing at a photo where Adam had his arm wrapped around Ziva's waist. Both of them were wearing military uniforms. It was obvious that this photo had been taken in their late teens. Adena was standing next Adam while Tali and Ari were standing next to Ziva. Ziva flipped through a couple more pages. "And this was taken on my last day of IDF." she pointed to a photo on the page she had stopped on. This photo was similar to the first one, but Ziva was wearing civilian clothes while Adam was still in military uniform. "After IDF, Adam went to university to become a lawyer so he could take over his father's law firm. I had already been in Mossad for a year." she paused for a breath. "A few months later, Tali and Adena went shopping at the mall after school. They were classmates, like me and Adam…" she shook her head. "Anyway, it was Adam's birthday in a few days and Adena wanted to buy him a present. Tali wanted a new jacket… That was when-" she trailed off, her eyes welling with tears.

"Oh, Ziva" Tony said, reaching over to hug her. "I'm so sorry."

After a few minutes, she pulled away from him and continued the story. "We had the funerals on different days. Seeing how broken Adam was at his sister's funeral, I stood next to him and took his hand, telling him one thing." Tony waited patiently to hear this secret. "'I'm not Adena, and I will never be able to fill the gap she left. But I will be your sister from now on'." Tony looked at her closely as she confided in him. "Adam said the same thing to me at Ari's funeral."

Tony was left speechless. Now he understood why the bond between Ziva and Adam was so strong. Anyone who ever heard them talk about each other-with such admiration for each other—or who saw the interaction between them would easily misunderstand their relationship. Hell, even he had misunderstood it the first time he had seen them together—in Berlin. And there also was the mess of Ziva's lie she had created with Adam's support. But now he knew the story, and about their childhood bond brought upon by happiness, sadness, and death.

"Adam wanted revenge," she went on. "He...he made it the purpose of his life to eliminate any human being in the State of Israel who made anyone to feel the pain he felt... The pain that we have both felt." Ziva closed the album. Placing it on the coffee table, she turned her attention to her fiancé and continued. "Adam dropped out of school and joined Mossad. It was something that I never approved of."

"Why?" Tony asked.

"Adam was…is...too 'soft' for Mossad," she explained. "On the outside, he might look like a ruthless and strong, like a man who doesn't care. But on the inside, he's too sensitive, too caring, and Mossad wasn't a good place for him."

"That's why he preferred Shin Bet? Because he knew that you didn't approve his choice?" Tony asked in disbelief.

Ziva shook her head. "Adam was the top of his class." she continued. "The best cadet. He was perfect at everything, but I knew that Mossad would break him in the end. I went to my father and asked him to reject him, or at least place him in the intelligence unit. But my father refused. He didn't want to 'waste' one of his future 'Ultimate Weapons'." The woman sighed. "But even if he had placed Adam in the intelligence unit, Adam would have ended up going on a mission. I was desperate. I didn't want to lose my friend." she paused for a breath. "So I called Ari. I told him what was going on and said that he would take of care of it. And he did."

"By doing what?"

"He made sure Adam failed some special tests. They weren't very important, but they were part of Mossad training."

"Adam must have been so mad at you two," Tony said with a smirk.

"He never found out." she replied, smirking back at Tony and his jaw dropped. "But, Adam was so determined that he joined Shin Bet. By then, there was nothing we could do." she shrugged. "Sometimes Shin Bet does the same thing that Mossad does. But at least it's not Mossad."

"You know something Ziva?" Tony said with a grin. "I'm proud of you. It was so selfless for you to do all to protect him." he shook his head in admiration at the friends' devotion to each other. "I'm very proud of you, Ziva," he repeated. "And I couldn't be more grateful to God that I have a woman like you in my life." he placed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hey," Tony continued as a tear rolled off her chin. "Don't cry. How many times do I need to tell you that I don't like seeing you cry?" he grinned. "How about this? Tell about the five of you kids here in Tel Aviv. I want to know everything." he wiped her tears away gently.

Ziva calmed and started telling him about her family's friendship with Eschels, and the friendships between her, Ari, Tali, Adam, and Adena.. She told him about how she had been classmates with Adam, how they spent the summers to Haifa, and many other things. Tony burst into laughing at some of the adventures that the five friends had gone on. Time flew by that afternoon, and he almost had to drag her from the couch so they could go for a walk to the beach and see the sunset.

"So tell me," Tony said as they walked hand-in-hand along the beach.

"Tell you what?" Ziva asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you want to play with me on the beach?" he asked, plastering on a very bright DiNozzo grin. "Like you did with your friends?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Tony!" Ziva exclaimed, struggling to pull her hand out of his. However, his grip tightened and he pulled it towards him. With a quick move, he swept Ziva into his arms, holding her bridal-style.

"Let's go to play in the water, sweet cheeks!" he said with a silly smile, carrying her toward the water.

"Don't you dare!" Ziva warned him, but he didn't cow. "Put me down!" she demanded, but Tony kept walking toward the water.

The couple splashed into the sea and Tony didn't stop until the water reached his knees.

"Your wish is my command, my Lady." he said with a mischievous smile and threw Ziva into the water. "Did you guys play this game, Zee-vah?" he said before he burst out laughing.

When Ziva recovered from the shock and stood up, soaking wet, she looked at him with eyes that could kill. "Oh yes!" she answered the laughing man mockingly. "We also played this!" she splashed him with the water around them, with laughing and doing the same to her. So it went until the sound of their laughter and splashing water overpowered that of the waves crashing along the beach. They were splashing each other so quickly and intensely that they eventually needed to catch their breath but Tony wasn't going to miss this chance. He grabbed his fiancée around the waist and captured her lips with his. Ziva laughed through the kiss while he tightened his grip on her deepening the kiss more.

Nettie was watched them from the glass partition, smiling. Turning her attention inside the living room, she gazed at the photo on the piano. "Oh, Aaron, my love" Nettie said with a sad smile. and caressed the photo. "They remind me so much of us." she held the photo close and turned her attention back to the young couple. She watched as they held each other with Tony giving Ziva kisses and Ziva playing with Tony's hair. The older woman couldn't be happier knowing that her niece had finally found the happiness she deserved.

* * *

Ziva walked out of the bathroom wearing an OSU t-shirt, a towel in her hand to dry her hair with. She looked up and saw Tony leaning against the balcony, gazing at the sea.

"Hey," she said, leaning against the railing, facing him.

"I love the sea," he said softly, turning to her.

"When you were Agent Afloat, you told me that you hated the sea." she replied, locking her eyes on his.

"I hated it because it kept me away from you," Tony explained. "You were back in D.C., and I was stuck on a floating city in the middle of nowhere, away from you." Tony ran his fingers through her hair. "I love your hair like this, down and curly," he confessed, smiling, and ran his fingers through it one more time.

"And I love yours like this," Ziva replied, running her own fingers through his hair. "Like a porcuswine," she went on with a giggle and both of them laughed.

"It's beautiful night, isn't it?" he said when they had calmed, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her neck gently.

"Yes, it is," she agreed. "The stars, the Moon..."

"Do you know the story about the Moon and the Earth?" Tony asked. ZIva turned to look over her shoulder at him. "Probably not," he answered himself upon seeing her confused expression. He took her hand and led her into the bedroom. He laid down on the bed and placed her on top of him, locking his eyes on hers before he started the story.

"Well," he began, placing a strand of hair behind her ear, "one night, the Moon went for walk. And on its way it met all the planets one by one." Tony caressed Ziva's cheek with his knuckles as he spoke. "But suddenly, right in front of it there was a beautiful planet that it had never met before. It asked the planet, 'what's your name?'" He gave the Moon's voice the DiNozzo charm, making Ziva giggle. "And the planet said, 'I'm Earth'. The Moon stared at Earth. It wanted to leave and continue its walk, but it couldn't." Ziva was enraptured by the story. But she was mostly fascinated by Tony's inside world. All these years he had never put his shields down. Until now. Now that they were fully together. She couldn't believe that this cocky, goofy womanizer had such beautiful internal world. And she couldn't believe that she was the reason he was revealing all these things that he had kept behind those walls all these years.

"It wanted to talk to Earth." Tony continued, "but it couldn't. The only thing it wanted was to show its light to the Earth. So the Moon wrapped itself in white and stayed in front of the Earth, showing its love for it." he told further his eyes never left her.

"Did the Earth love with the Moon?" Ziva asked, sounding like a little girl.

"Yeah, like crazy!" he replied and she laughed a little louder than before. "And the Earth got scared that the Moon would leave, so it pulled the Moon with it with all its strengths. Since then, the Moon's never left the Earth's side. That's why for millions and millions years, when all the humans went to sleep at night, the Moon and the Earth have confessed their love for each other." Tony placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "And all the world is talking about this great love, whispering it to each other, like it was National Security's biggest secret." Ziva laughed once again at Tony's joke.

"I love you, too." she said, kissing him quickly on the lips.

"Oh really?" he asked with a grin. "How much?"

"Don't you know?" Ziva asked teasingly.

Tony laughed loudly. "Oh, yes, I do." he leaned up and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, my love," he said softly. "Sleep tight."

"Goodnight, Tony." Ziva replied and placed a kiss on his lips before resting against his chest. "Good night."

* * *

**Thank you for reading. I hope you liked the chapter. Anyway, please review so you would let me know what you think and remember:** **You can always contact with me and express your opinion about my Author's Note through PM or my Twitter Account ( AthenaKokkali), having as only request the reviews will be only for the storyline.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Author's Note**

**Hello readers. Familiar Faces are back.**

**Cote finally talked! Did I really believe that she would be back for Tony's farewell? My answer is 'No'. Did I really believe the 'cheap' lie of Gark and CBS that she left because of the money? My answer is 'No' again. Have I always believed that the reason she left was the bad writing and she confirmed my suspicions? Hell, yeah! Anyway, truth be told, I don't believe those two awful Show Runners would give us TIVA off-screen so I'd rather live own my universe which is Fan fiction and that story. Because shippers this fandom is still living my heart, it always will be. I hope it continues to live on yours too. As for haters, that you have intention to harass through the story that Ziva/Cote was useless on the show only the fact you are obsessed over her proves the quite opposite. She was indeed important to the show and you can't accept the fact that she had enough dignity to leave that toxic set.**

**P.S. Thank you, Cote De Pablo for those amazing years, for TIVA but most of all your integrity and love you have showed on the character of Ziva David. We are on your side.**

**Anyway back to the story**

**Debbie:****I'm glad you like it my mention on the Ziva's family history. I really have in my mind more mentions on Ziva's past in the future.**

**Sue Dooley:** **Thank you for your review as always.**

**Specials thanks:**

**To Teresa:****who is my personal consultant on this story.**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed even the one's who only read that story**

**Warning: This chapter isn't edited and corrected by Beta so forgive me for my grammar errors. Unfortunately English isn't my first language. I wish to Laitie the best. You should know girl I'm right here on whatever you need. Thank you for your contribution to the story.**

**Disclaimer: If I had owed it, do you really think TIVA would have ended up like that?**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…Enjoy!**

**Athena**

* * *

'This isn't the German flag! What you brought me here is the Belgian!" Angelina said angrily to the hotel employee and scattered the flags on the table. "Watch the vases! You will break them" she shouted to another.

Watching his fiancée behaving like a dictator on the hotel stuff Adam shook his head with desperation. For almost a year, since the moment he proposed to her, Angelina started to plan the wedding detail by detail even though they had decided on a very simple ceremony. The man understood very well that the wedding day for a woman was the most important day on her life besides the birthday of her children but Angelina's perfectionism had driven him crazy all that time, especially the last couple week. He was observing her going up and down on the swimming pool area frustrated and he sighed. He had to get out of there. Adam made his way inside the hotel and the receptionist desk to check the room arrangements for the guests wanting to avoid one more personal outburst from Angelina.

"I need a drink first." he murmured to himself and headed on the bar rubbing his forehead. "One double scotch." he ordered as he sat on the stool.

"Really, Adam? Scotch at 10 a.m.? And double?" a familiar female voice said in Hebrew and Adam turned his head.

"Zivaleh!" Adam exclaimed as he stood up from the stool and hugged Ziva tight. "I missed you so much Zivaleh." he went on and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek after he pulled away from her.

"Me too." Ziva replied smiling before she turned her head. Adam raised his eyes from Ziva so he could see what drew her attention.

"Adam." Tony said approaching behind Ziva.

"Hello Tony." Adam said awkwardly, scratching the back of his head for few moments debating what he would do next.

Ziva was looking between Tony and Adam until the latter extended his hand to Tony for shake. Tony accepted Adam's gesture and shook his hand with Adam. However, the Israeli was taken aback when suddenly Tony pulled him on tight brotherly hug.

"Congratulations, man. I wish you all the best." Tony said Adam and patted his shoulder.

Watching the interaction between the two men Ziva smiled.

"Thank you Tony." Adam said and pulled away. "congratulations to both you too. You really deserve the happiness." he went on with a warm smile.

"So, where is the future Mrs. Eschel?" Ziva asked Adam teasingly while Tony wrapped his arm around Ziva's waist smiling. Adam rolled his eyes.

"Don't ask. Why do you think I wanted to drink this hour Zivaleh?" he said as he was leading the couple on the swimming pool area.

"Why? What's wrong with her?" Ziva questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I ask myself that every day those couple of weeks Zivaleh." Adam replied desperate "your friend has completely driven me crazy." Both Tony and Ziva understood what her friend meant, when they saw a frustrated Angelina trying to explain on the hotel employee the difference between the Belgian and the German flag.

"The Belgian flag has thick and vertical stripes." Angelina emphasized on the hotel employee. "on the contrary the German flag has horizontal and thin stripes. Not to mention that the stripes are in different row than the Belgian. Just bring the right one this time please?" Angelina said and handed the Belgian flags to the hotel employee while she kept the Israeli.

Tony and Ziva kept their laugh with difficulty on Angelina's demands and Adam's desperation.

"This is not funny Ziva." Adam exclaimed annoyed. "come on Tony you too? Really? What if Ziva starts to do the same thing few days before your wedding?"

"Trust me," Ziva started with difficulty trying to keep her laugh at bay. "he will not have this kind of problem. I have already four wedding planners. The only thing remains for me to do is to pick the wedding dress."

"And she's going to do it the moment we'll step on American soil again." Tony explained and kissed Ziva's cheek quickly.

"Zivi!" Angelina exclaimed and ran toward the couple and her fiancé.

"Angie."

I'm so glad to see you, I missed you so much." the young woman said and enveloped Ziva on a tight hug. "Tony." she pronounced after she pulled back from Ziva.

"Hey." Tony said and hugged Angelina. Her grip on him tightened so much that Tony thought he was receiving a crashing hug from Abby.

"Are you alright?" Angelina asked with worry and Tony looked her quizzically. "I know it's been a long time since your have been shot and Ziva reassured me that everything is fine but…but I just wanted to hear it from you too" she went on with the pain obvious in her eyes.

"I'm fine really." Tony reassured her and Angelina smiled giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Well," Adam started rubbing his hands. "shall we drink a tea of coffee until the lunch time comes?"

"We can stay for coffee but for lunch-" Ziva tried to say but Angelina cut her off.

"We are not accepting 'No' as answer! We are family and we are going to have a meal as family together." she said with an angry tone making both on Tony and Ziva understood that there was no choice of argument. "Besides," she went on with a smile "I want to know the whole details about the proposal." Ziva was ready to say something but she didn't manage to utter a word as Angelina interrupted her again. "I know, I know you have told me everything through the video call, Ziva, but I want to hear it again. It was so romantic and I also want to hear Tony's version." Angelina said and winked at him smiling. Grabbing Ziva from her left hand Angelina couldn't but notice her engagement ring. "Oh my God what a rock!" the German woman exclaimed and Ziva her hand held out to Angelina so she would examine it better.

"I must confess Tony, you have a great taste." Adam commented in complete awe.

"And expensive." Angelina remarked with a proper tone on her voice.

"As much as I would have wanted to take the credits for the ring I can't." Tony admitted scratching the back of his head. "It was Senior's choice as that ring belonged to my mother." he confessed and the couple looked at him with shock.

"Your mother's?" Angelina asked in disbelief and Tony nodded. "That's so sweet Tony." she cried with enthusiasm. "To propose someone with your mother's ring is…" she trailed off.

"Yeah." Tony confirmed "So," he swallowed successfully a sob. "Shall we?" he gestured with a noble way both Angelina and Ziva walk first.

He and Adam followed right behind them to the cafeteria, so the two couples could sit and drink their coffee or tea. During their coffee date, they talked about, the work Adam's and Ziva's childhood friendship and their weddings. Tony was curious why Adam and Angelina preferred a simpler wedding than a more traditional and the couple explained the difficulties that they faced because of their different religions with Angelina to espouse Judaism eventually. However, lunch time came quickly and the discussion was so fervent that was continued during their meal. Tony and Adam started to discuss about US football and basketball. Tony was impressed by Adam's knowledge about those matters. He didn't believe that an Israeli would know about American sports especially while he wasn't living in the States. Angelina and Ziva discussed about books, and a performance of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra that Angelina had watched few weeks ago. Angelina also asked from Ziva to be one of the Maids of Honor something that the she gladly accepted.

"So," Tony started. "where are you going on your honeymoon?"

"Well, somewhere exotic that's for sure. Maybe Hawaii, Jamaica or Caribbean Islands." Angelina answered.

"Besides, we have time to decide, until the next summer." Adam went on. "I have to stay here at least a month. Shin Bet needs me in Tel Aviv on a joint operation with Mossad."

Ziva didn't ask further details about that mission because she knew very well that Adam couldn't answer. However the curiosity was eating her. Something was bugging her on this story but she couldn't put finger on what it was and most of all why. Why her had instincts started working for a simple joint operation between Shin Bet and Mossad, especially now that she was not longer an Officer?

"What about you?" Angelina asked and dragged Ziva from her thoughts. Although the Israeli woman focused on the question that her friend had made, the feeling that something was wrong with that op had nestled into her heart and mind. "Have you decided where you are going on your honeymoon?" the blond woman questioned further and Ziva smiled slightly, not wanting to give away the worry she felt from Adam's words.

"Well, we will be lucky if Gibbs give us a week off. He gave us already one month off for the trips to Greece and Israel, not to mention the countless days off all those months." Ziva replied. "But if he does we have something in mind."

"Like?" Angelina asked.

"Paris or Berlin." Ziva said with a knowing look at her friend and Angelina chuckled. Ziva had told the woman who considered as sister what had happened in the City of Love between her and Tony. And of course she also confided in her friend how she felt in Berlin years later while she was dancing with him, what kind of thoughts had crossed her mind when she had her eyes locked on his.

"Or both." Tony added on Ziva's answer and the woman turned and looked him. "I will do anything us to take a month off so we will have an appropriate honeymoon" he went on and looked at his fiancée taking her hand on his. "However, you and Adam can have a mini honeymoon here in Israel." he looked back to Angelina and took a sip of his wine.

"Nein." Angelina replied sadly in German. "I have to go back to Berlin. The elections are coming and dad needs me there for his electoral campaign."

"Hey, it's. ok soon you will be together again." Ziva told Angelina trying to encourage her friend so she would stop being sad.

"And this time for good and not only because of the wedding." Adam clarified and both Tony and Ziva raised an eyebrow on Adam's statement. "I applied for a Liaison Officer on the Israeli Embassy in Berlin and I was approved. No more field work, no more business trips, only desk duty." he went.

Ziva smiled. "That's awesome!" she exclaimed happily. "really awesome!"

"Yes it is. "Adam verified. "I don't think the Shin Bet's life style is appropriate for a family man."

What Adam said made Tony too skeptical. Both he and Ziva were in line of fire every day because of their job, worrying of losing each other every single second. And now that they were getting married that they wanted to start a family, only the thought that their children might lose one of their parents or both of them terrified him. Ziva felt that something was off. She could see the change on Tony's mood. A change which continued during the rest of the meal and afterwards during their ride back to Nettie's house. However, she didn't push Tony. On the contrary she let him in front of the glass partition of the living room lost in his thoughts gazing the endless blue of the sea. Those thoughts and behavior continued during the rest of the day until the night fell and the couple went to sleep .However, Tony was lying awake staring at the ceiling and replaying Adam's words in his mind.

"You are thinking too loud." Ziva said with her eyes shut lying on Tony's chest. Tony looked down at her and Ziva opened her eyes returning his gaze.

"Yeah." he confirmed and returned his eyes at the ceiling. "I was just thinking," he started and Ziva didn't say anything waiting for him to continue. "what Adam said about being an Agent and a family man at the same time."

Ziva sat up on the bed and looked at him. "You're scared." she said more as a statement than a question. "You scared that something might happen to us during our work, or to be more exact you scared that it might happen something to me."

Tony nodded lightly. "I mean look what happened with Henderson when he shot me."

"And look what happened with Gibbs and his family." Ziva fired back. "He was in the line of fire under worse circumstances than us every day for years but his daughter and his wife died. You never know what Fate holds."

"You are right, but that doesn't mean that you have to challenge it." he argued.

"Many people are doing different jobs than us and they are dying by accidents and diseases Tony. Our jobs just increase the possibilities."

"Exactly!" Tony pointed out.

"So, what do you suggest? Career change?" it was Ziva's the disbelieving question.

Tony sighed. "I just…I just I don't want to lose you, Ziva that's all." he said with honesty.

"You won't." she reassured him smiling. "We stuck with each other for the rest of our lives, trust me." she went on with a grin and started peppering kisses across his jaw line wanting to eliminate Tony's stress.

"Ziva." Tony started but she silenced him with a hungry kiss, her hands wandering all over his chest. He knew that she had on mind but he didn't consider they were in the right place at the right time for that kind of activity. Tony pulled away with difficulty and continued. "Ziva, your aunt."

"We can be quiet." she replied with a mischievous smile. "Like we had during your father's stay with Linda when I gave you a 'massage.'" she went on and put her hand over his thigh trying to cup his crotch but she was interrupted by a beeping sound.

"Maybe is Gibbs with McHacker." Tony said and tried to get out from the bed, so he could answer the video call on his laptop.

"Ignore it." Ziva demanded and pushed him back on the bed trying to pull the shirt over his head afterwards. However, the beeping was heard again.

"It might be important." Tony answered back and got up from the bed.

"Damn it!" Ziva groaned and lay down on the bed pissed.

"Hey Boss, McGee." Tony answered the video call after he moved with his laptop on the living room.

"Is everything all right DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked his SFA.

"Yes Boss we had just lain down to sleep." Tony retorted.

"To sleep or to do something else Tony?" McGee implied and earned a hard head slap from his boss. "Sorry Boss."

The discussion between Tony and Gibbs was long. The Team Leader didn't stop asking questions to his Agent. Tony informed the ex-Marine that he and Ziva would fly to D.C. in three days on Monday's afternoon. He told him about Angelina and Adam, Ziva's aunt and of course their meeting with Orli.

"I'm just glad that you are both fine DiNozzo. Things are still pretty rough there." Gibbs said with worry.

"Don't worry Boss we will back in one piece." Tony reassured.

"I count on that." Gibbs replied. "Good night DiNozzo give my regards to Ziver."

Goodbye Boss, McGee." Tony said and his screen went black. The man took his laptop and went back to the bedroom. "Ziva." he said the moment he made it to the doorframe. "maybe we should reconsider if Gibbs is functional mut-, oh hell…" he murmured watching Ziva's body spread all over the bed with her head buried on her pillow something that made her snoring louder. Tony smiled and after he left the laptop on his nightstand, he lay down next to her. Fortunately, he managed to sift her carefully and he didn't wake her. Taking her into his arms he placed a kiss on top her head before closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

The next day was the Wedding Day eve for Adam and Angelina. Both Tony and Ziva had different plans for the night, so they tried to spend as much time as could together.

"Thank God both Angelina and Adam are very serious, so we won't have any exaggerations on the parties." Ziva said while she was having breakfast with Tony and Nettie.

"What? No stripers?" Tony asked surprised and Ziva head slapped him hard. "What was that for?" he complained rubbing the back of his head.

"That's because you mentioned stripers in front of my aunt." Ziva explained angrily.

"I 'am just kidding Ziva, you know I don't care about them anymore. Your striptease is more than enough for me." he answered back with a grin on his face. "Ouch! That really hurt!" he protested this time really annoyed because Ziva had head slapped him harder.

"Hahahaha! You are so adorable together, you are so matching." Nettie said with a laugh. "You are soul mates." she went on more seriously. Tony and Ziva looked at each other smiling. "I know you just woke up but I'll suggest you to go for a walk and then to get some rest because you will need it for tonight." the older woman said and stood up from the table, gathering the dishes.

"Doda I'll help." Ziva said but Nettie stopped her.

"I said go!" Nettie repeated and waved both Tony and Ziva toward the door and the couple obeyed with Ziva taking Tony's hand on hers and leading them on the beach.

* * *

"One more!" Caleb Adam's friend and best man encouraged Tony to drink one more glass of scotch.

"No, thanks man! I had enough for tonight." Tony said and stopped him from giving him one more. He had already drunk four glasses and started feeling a little floppy.

"Oh come on! You Americans are pretty soft, man!" Joseph one of Adam's friends told.

"Milksops." another friend of Adam's sucked and everybody burst into laughter.

"Saul that's enough!" Adam barked in Hebrew. "If you want to know he's ten times a man than all of you!" he went on so loudly that his voice managed to cover the loud music of the club. "He was bound and interrogated by one of the worst terrorists and he didn't cow for a single second." the men didn't say anything but lowered their heads. "Idiots." he mumbled before he approached Tony.

"Tony, are you alright? I see you a little dizzy." Adam said with worry and squeezed his shoulder.

"I need some air." it was the only thing that Tony said and stood up from the chair.

"I'm coming with you." Adam said and made their way outside the club.

Since they were out the club they sat at the edge of the pavement. "Thanks for earlier." Tony said Adam after few moments of silence.

"You don't have to. Saul is a jerk anyway." Adam explained.

"I had drinking problems." Tony blurted out few moments later and Adam looked at him with wide eyes. "It started two decades ago when my ex-fiancée dumped me at the altar. Since then, I was facing all my problems, all my difficulties and pain with drinking." Adam didn't say anything but he kept looking at Tony. "My partner's death, Director's Sheppard, Somalia."

Adam hearing that word squeezed Tony's shoulder shutting his eyes with pain. When Adam found out about Ziva's mission and the fact that she was declared dead in the Horn of Africa, he felt like the day he had lost Adena, he felt like he had lost one more sister.

"And when Ziva decided to stay in Israel it was my breaking point." he confessed. "for a long time I managed to beat it by going on men's support groups, but…." he trailed off. "anyway" Tony continued rubbing his face with his hand. "When Ziva came back to D.C. and NCIS we weren't on good terms, but I still loved her. When you called her to tell her that you got engaged I practically assailed her, because I thought you and her-" Tony chocked. "I went to a bar and got drunk and the next thing I remembered it was me pressing Ziva against the wall with her eyes full of fear." Adam was hearing in awe Tony's confession. "The pain and the sadness that Ziva's eye's had the next day, it was…she made me promise that I won't cross the line again."

"Did you keep your promise?" Adam asked quietly.

Tony shook his head. "Once I got drunk but I didn't cause any troubles or something."

"Come on Tony let's go." Adam said sighing and stood up. "I'll take you home."

"Thanks!" Tony replied as he stood up.

"Anytime." it was the only thing that Adam said.

* * *

"You got earlier than I thought." Ziva said and patted the space on the bed next to her with her one hand, while in the other one she was twirling around her fingers the key she had found on her father's letter. She was still bugging her, the reason Eli gave it to her and of course its use. She hoped he would have explained it to the letter but it was not the case. She asked Orli the day after but the Director of Mossad had no idea. Ziva had even asked Nettie in case Eli had said anything to her before his death but her aunt seemed to be as confused as she was.

Tony took off his shoes and lay with his clothes on the bed. "I think that this kind of lifestyle doesn't fit to me anymore."

"Really? Because few hours ago I thought you wanted stripers." Ziva told Tony with a tease and he laughed.

"Any idea about key?" Tony asked turning his face to look at her. Ziva shook her head leaving a heavy sigh. "You will find out eventually." he reassured her and placed a quick kiss on her lips. "how was the bachelorette party?"

"I had fun." Ziva answered simply and placed the key on her nightstand. "It was pretty much like Adam's. Too much alcohol, too loud music, no stripers." she said chuckling.

"I'm glad." he smiled and placed a piece strand of hair behind Ziva's ear. "I should better get up and change." he went on with a groan. "sometimes I wonder how a beautiful and so young woman like you fell in love with me, a middle-aged former playboy."

"Your heart." it was the only thing that Ziva said and Tony stopped unbuttoning his dress shirt so he could look at Ziva. "the fact that you are so kind, so caring, so sensitive even if you let people believe the quite opposite with the goofy way you behave." Tony blushed on Ziva's words. "Not to mention about your charm." she went on and took his hand on hers, dragging him into the bed so he could lie down next to her. "a charm that you can't resist.

None woman could, not even me." she confessed caressing his cheek with her knuckles.

"I love you." Tony said looking deep into Ziva's eyes and slipped his dress shirt off his shoulders.

"I love you." Ziva said back not taking her eyes from Tony's.

"We should better sleep. Tomorrow we will have a very difficult day as it was today." Tony said and slipped his pants off staying only on his boxers. "Goodnight sweet cheeks." he whispered and took Ziva into his arms.

"Goodnight Mois Petit Pois."

* * *

Tony woke up in the morning on an empty bed. Ziva had probably got up early to go for her usual run. Every since they had come to Haifa Ziva started running again in the morning on the beach. He glanced around the room and got up from the bed stretching out his body. After he wore a T-shirt and sweatpants he made his way immediately to kitchen.

"Good morning Nettie." Tony said grinning the moment he entered the room but what he saw, made his smile fade. There was Nettie with a letter on her hands and an empty look in her eyes. "Nettie what's wrong?" he asked with worry and Nettie raised her full of pain eyes and looked at him apologetic. "What happened?" Tony questioned again and Nettie with hurt extended the hand where she was keeping the letter. Tony approached and stopped dead in his tracks. He swallowed hard watching what was placed on the table. It was his mother's engagement ring. The ring he had given to Ziva. "No." it was the only thing that Tony mumbled. "no." he repeated and took with anger the letter form Nettie while the older woman ducked her head. Tony started reading the letter gripping tight the edges of the paper.

_Tony_

_I wish I had the courage to tell you those things in person but I can't. I never could. Because I' am a coward. I had always been a coward when it came to you. That's why I'm writing this letter. I want you to know that I love you, I always have and I always will. But sometimes Love is not enough. Those two years that I was away from the team and especially you I was trying to find myself but I failed. Then, I decided to come back to D.C. in case what I was looking for was in front of me those 8 years I had lived in the States. And it was. Or at least that's what I thought. Tony, the last past year with you being as my friend, as my partner, as my lover, was the best year of my life. But coming here and talking to Deena again, seeing the places where I grew up, I understood one thing. I can't do this anymore I can't be with you when I don't know who I really am. You don't deserve it. I need to find myself away from everyone and everything. Away from you. That's why I'm leaving, and this time will be for good. Please don't look for me._

_P.S. I'm leaving your mother's ring so you could give it to a woman who really deserves it. _

_Yours,_

_Ziva_

Tony curled the paper into his fist and approached Nettie more. "Where did she go?" he asked through his teeth but the older woman didn't answer. "Where did she go?" he shouted shaking Nettie so she would look at him.

Nettie raised her head, her eyes almost tear up. "I don't know." she answered looking at him apologetic.

Tony rushed out of the house to beach full of anger. "No. Not again…" he murmured under his breath. "ZIVA!" he shouted completely to no one looking around the beach. "ZIVA! ZIVA!" he continued shouting and knelt on the sand. He never got answer. The only thing that Tony could hear in the beach were the waves rolling in and the wind blowing. "Ziva." he said barely than a whisper and buried his face on his hands. He couldn't believe what was happening.

* * *

**Okay, I know. Sorry about the end of the chapter. But things are not what they seem. There is a good explanation about Ziva.. Anyway, thank you for reading and please review so you would let me know what you think and remember: **You can always contact with me and express your opinion about my Author's Note through PM or my Twitter Account ( AthenaKokkali), having as only request the reviews will be only for the storyline.****


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note **

**You can't imagine how difficult was for me to write those words. I must say I have discussed with my surrogate sister Teresa (a.k.a. Beatrix acs) many possible scenarios for Tony's exit and Ziva. However, the writers came up with this, which in a way i had predicted. The Season Finale only confirmed my characterizations towards Gary and Mark (you can read them on previous author's notes.)**

**I don't know if the plot holes Ziva's fate are hints about what really happened to her or it's just GG's and SW's bad writing. However, one thing is certain. Whatever it is, it will pass TIVA shippers, it will pass. Don't stop loving the fandom; cherish it as much as you can. They might have killed TIVA on screen but they can't kill it in our hearts and that's more important than any 'organic' writing.**

**Anyway back to the story**

**I have to inform you I have written until chapter 51 (all written before season finale) and I'm struggling to write Chapter 52. I don't know how much long that story will be because I have affected too much by the finale. I hope I will manage to finish the story the way I want to.**

**Debbie:**** Give my regards and love to Laitie.**

**Sue Dooley:** **Thank you for your review as always.**

**Guest:**** Thank you for your review.**

**The mystery of Ziva's 'leaving' will be answered below.**

**Specials thanks:**

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story.**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed even the one's who only read that story**

**Warning:**** This chapter isn't edited and corrected by Beta so forgive me for my grammar errors. Unfortunately English isn't my first language. **

**Disclaimer:**** The season Finale is proof that I don't own NCIS.**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…**

**Athena**

* * *

_**Previously on Familiar Faces….**_

_Tony curled the paper into his fist and approached Nettie "where did she go?" he asked through his teeth but the older woman didn't answer. "Where did she go?" he shouted shaking Nettie so she would look at him_

_Nettie raised her head, her eyes almost tear up "I don't know" she answered looking at him apologetic _

_Tony rushed out of the house to beach full of anger "No, not again…" he murmured under his breath. "ZIVA!" he shouted completely to no one looking around the beach "ZIVA! ZIVA!" he continued shouting and knelt on the sand He never got answer. The only thing that_ _Tony could hear in the beach were the waves rolling in and the wind blowing. "Ziva." he said barely than a whisper and buried his face on his hands. He couldn't believe what was happening._

_**And now let's continue**_

* * *

"Tony." it was the only thing that Tony heard and his eyes flew open. Sitting up on the bed quickly, a shuddering gasp tore through his body. The nightmare that plagued him felt so real, that still images were flashing past his eyes. "Tony." Ziva repeated. She sat up on the bed and rubbed his back with slow moves trying to calm him down. Tony turned to look at her with his breaths escaping in shallow huffs. "What happened?" she asked with worry watching him so upset. Tony was soaking wet from cold sweat and tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Night- Nightmare" he stuttered breathing heavily. "I'm ok Ziva" Tony tried to reassure her patting her shoulder. "I'm ok. Just…just go back to sleep." he went on and lay back on the bed sighing, turning his back on Ziva.

"Tony." Ziva said and touched his arm. "It is obvious that you had a nightmare but what was it about?"

"Ziva, It's ok, don't wor-" but she cut Tony off.

"Don't tell me not to worry!" she said full of anger and got out the bed. Tony turned and looked at her. "You were screaming my name Tony! You were screaming my name and…and you were crying." she went on with worry. "What happened?" she whispered with hurt. Tony didn't say anything and paid his attention at the ceiling shutting Ziva out completely. He didn't want to upset her more. He just wanted the whole incident not be discussed. Ziva was ready to say something but she heard a knock on the door. Turning her attention to it she came around the bed so she could open. "Doda." Ziva murmured after she opened the door.

"I heard screams and shouts and I got worried." Nettie said looking between Tony and Ziva. The older woman could sense the tension in the room. The air around them had become thick enough to cut it with a knife.

Everything is alright Doda." Ziva said simply with Nettie sensing how much upset her niece was. "Tony had a nightmare." she went on looking at Tony with him returning her gaze while he was sitting at the edge of the bed. "But now everything is fine Doda."

"Ok." it was the only thing that Nettie said and made her way out the room.

"Wait, I'm coming with you." Ziva said and followed her aunt. "I need to go for a walk on the beach to get some fresh air." she continued

"But is still night ou-" but Ziva interrupted Nettie. "it doesn't matter. I won't go any far."

The older woman just nodded knowing that she couldn't change Ziva's mind. She got out of the room while Ziva glanced one last time at Tony before she followed her aunt. Tony flinched as Ziva slammed the door behind her with force and he buried his face on his hands sighing.

* * *

The hours had flown by and Tony was alone, lost in his thoughts. He knew very well how Ziva felt for him and how many times she reassured him that wouldn't leave him again. However, he couldn't understand why the doubt had nestled into his heart. Tony glanced at the alarm clock. 6:35a.m. local time. It had been two hours since the nightmare and the fight and Ziva still hadn't come back. He wasn't worrying about her safety because he knew very well that she could take care of herself but for her whole behavior toward him. Tony went out on the balcony and watched the sunrise as the sun was just starting to peak up. Over the horizon, a deep purple light as its golden rays were mixed with the endless blue of the sea. The whole scenery in front of him was like a painting, almost unreal some thing that made his heart filling with peace. Tony turned his attention to beach and that was when he noticed Ziva sitting on the sand looking at the sea. He was watching her, debating whether or not to go and talk to her. He was worrying about her reaction if she had found out about his fears but he couldn't let her be angry with him, especially that day that her friends were getting married. After few minutes Tony went to the beach, taking slow and steady steps toward his fiancée. Ziva sensed his presence and the fact that he sat next to her but she didn't stop paying her attention to the sea.

"You had left." Tony started locking his eyes on the ground while with his palm took a handful of sand. Ziva turned her attention toward Tony. "You had left me and you didn't even say goodbye." he went on and the sand slipped through his fist, like it was slipping into an hourglass. "I woke up in the morning and I found the bed empty and Nettie…and Nettie with a goodbye letter on her hands. With your engagement ring placed on the kitchen table." he confessed and turned his attention to Ziva locking his eyes on hers. "I trust you Ziva. I know you love me and I love you too but I don't know-"

"You don't know why your heart still has doubts." Ziva completed interrupting him. "Why your mind trusts me but your heart doesn't."

"Ziva-"

"I won't leave you, Tony." Ziva said and turned to look at him. "I wouldn't leave you, just like that. It must happen something so huge, something so unforgivable so I could find the courage to put an end to this. To put an end to us." she explained.

Tony hearing those words, understood. He understood why those fears might still plague him. The whole mess with Zoe, the fact that he kept such a big secret from Ziva was eating him from inside like a cancer. As for the thought that all of that might be reveal few days before his wedding with Ziva, terrified him. "But I know you wouldn't do something like that, would you?" she went on with a smile and caressed Tony's cheek.

Tony smiled lightly. "No, I wouldn't." he reassured her while he was cursing himself from inside for lying to her for one more time. "And no my heart doesn't have doubts about your love. It's just afraid a little of losing you again."

"It won't." Ziva replied and kissed Tony's cheek.

"Ok. Shall we go back to the house, now to get some sleep a little before we go to the hotel?" Tony suggested and stood up holding out his hand to help her up.

"Sure." Ziva said and her hand slipped into his using it to hoist herself up and unto her feet. Without leaving each other's hands for a moment they headed for the house so they could rest before their friends' wedding.

* * *

The wedding between Adam and Angelina was as simple as could be. They honored as many Hebrew traditions as they could. The couple found some of them excessive, and Adam didn't want Angelina's guests to feel more awkward than already had. Since there weren't civil weddings in the State of Israel, the fact that Angelina espoused Judaism so the wedding could take place on Adam's homeland was a huge sacrifice of hers. Plus not to mention the preparation with the catechism that the young girl had to shoulder so she could become a Jewish. But that didn't mean that Adam hadn't made sacrifices. He was leaving his homeland forever making a new beginning to Berlin, forsaking also his former life as a spy. '_True Love requires sacrifices, requires risks which are worth for you to take them.'_ Ziva had told Angelina, when she wanted to break up with Adam few years ago to protect him. And now Ziva was walking down the aisle, as Angelina's Maid of Honor on their wedding. She was thinking those words when Angelina also told them to her, so she could find the happiness with Tony, she was thinking how things had changed all those months where Tony was with her, being as her partner, as her boyfriend, as her fiancé and soon as her husband. She couldn't do anything but smile as she was taking her place waiting for the two others Maids of Honor to come next to her before her friend made her way toward to Chuppah, settling next to her future husband. And when the ceremony started she couldn't help but glanced at Tony with him grinning back at her. She thought how her wedding would be, but truth be told it didn't matter. It didn't matter as long as at the end of November 12th she was Mrs. Ziva Dinozzo. She couldn't wait this day to come, so all the worries that Tony had about her leaving him again could be vanished.

"Mazel Tov!" Adam shouted breaking the glass with his foot and Ziva jumped surprised as she was lost in her thoughts.

"Mazel Tov!" all the guests shouted and Adam gave a quick kiss to Angelina before the couple made their way on the swimming pool area for the party.

* * *

"It looks good on you." Ziva commented to Tony and touched lightly the Kippah that Tony wore for the ceremony. Tony just chuckled.

"Do you like it? I can wear one of those in our wedding if you want." he said taking the last sip of his martini.

"No you don't have to…besides I love so much your hair. You can put it off now." Ziva said and put off the Kippah from Tony's head running her fingers through his hair afterwards. Tony smiled at Ziva's gesture. .He loved Ziva playing with his hair, because he knew, every time she was doing it, she did it with care. It was a way to show him how much she loved him. "Are you ok?" she questioned seriously and Tony looked at her curiously. "Considering what happened this morning." she told further wanting to explain her question.

Tony smiled. "Of course I' am, don't worry. I'll go for a drink." he pecked Ziva quickly on the lips and she grabbed his arm when he was ready to leave. Tony turned and looked at her. "I just wanna take a coke Ziva, don't worry." he reassured her and placed his palm over hers.

"Ok." Ziva answered simply and loosened her grip on Tony's arms. Tony made his way to the bar while Ziva turned her attention at the sea, resting her palms on the railing. With the sea breeze hitting her instantly and blowing her hair back, she closed her eyes and lost in her thoughts for one more time .

"Are you happy?" the male voice asked her in Hebrew and Ziva opened her eyes.

"I think I should be the one who should ask that question since you got married today." Ziva answered and turned her to face Adam.

"Hey!" the young man exclaimed. "Of course I' am. I've just got married the woman of my life, my soulmate, why wouldn't I be?"

"Then, I don't understand the question Adam. I will be also married in a few weeks with the man I love." Ziva replied a bit irritated.

"But?" he asked immediately. Adam knew Ziva very well. She was like a sister to him and after he lost Adena, Ziva was his rock. She had been always there on thick and thin, even when she was living in the States. He was caring for her. That's why he asked her if she was happy. And the way she replied... there just had to be a 'but.'

Ziva took the glass of champagne from the bench and downed it in one gulp sighing. "He still has doubts about me leaving him again. He still has doubts and…" she choked. "I broke his heart so much and I don't know how to fix it." she completed with a cracked voice and turned her attention back to the sea.

Adam went next to her. "Look considering his…history." he started and Ziva turned and look at him confused. How Adam knew about Tony's past? "Well let's say we had a men's talk yesterday." he explained answering on Ziva's unsaid question. "Ziva, you can't. You can't fix it. The only thing you can do is to reassure him every day with actions that it is not going to happen again."

Ziva took from the waiter another glass of champagne. "I'm doing it!" she sad raising her voice. "I'm doing that every single moment every day and…"she trailed off and drank the champagne almost in one gulp.

"Hey stop it!" Adam said a little loud and grabbed the glass from her. "This is not a solution, you know that very well."

Ziva look at him with anger. "Come on, Adam. Say it. What are you waiting for? 'I told you so, Ziva. I told you so."' she said with a raised voice. '"I told you to go back to him, to tell him the truth from the beginning but you didn't. This mess it's your fault.' Say it Adam, say it!"

Adam couldn't believe how much bitterness Ziva had about her stay in Israel and shook his head. "I won't." he looked at Ziva's eyes. "I won't." he repeated. The man could easily see that Ziva kept with difficulty her tears. "Come here!" he egged her on and Ziva fell on Adam's arms with him hugging her tight. As Tony made his way back to his fiancée, he saw the interaction between her and Adam and stopped to observe them.

"I don't believe you. Are you still getting jealous of them?" Angelina asked teasingly approaching Tony from behind and he turned to look at her smiling.

"No I'm not." he replied. "Angelina can I ask you something?" he went on and the young woman took his hand and led him on a table to sit.

"I'm all ears." Angelina said with a smile.

After Tony placed his coke on the table he rested his elbows on it, crossing his fingers. "How did Ziva's list reach on your hands?" he asked. "Because Ziva dug to find it and she didn't. She didn't know you had the list and gave it to me."

"Did you tell her I gave you the list?" the woman asked in horror and Tony shook his head. Angelina sighed of relief. "Thank God because she would have killed me."

"So?" Tony asked waiting her answer. "Will you tell me?"

"It was few weeks before she came back to D.C." Angelina started the story. "Adam had business for Shin Bet and he let me to follow him with the only condition to stay at Ziva's in Be're Sheva, so I could be safe. After work, he was coming and visiting me over there." Taking a sip of her drink she continued. "One day Ziva told me that she decided to return to D.C. but not to NCIS. I asked her if you were the reason that she wanted to return but she didn't answer."

"What has to do this with the list?" Tony asked confused.

"Two days before Ziva flew back to the States I woke up during the night, because I wanted some fresh air." Angelina replied. "When I went out on the porch I heard some strange noises between the olive trees and I went to check what that was."

"Didn't you scare?" Tony asked in disbelief.

"No, before Adam left he let me a Jericho for protection. You know he and Ziva are good trainers on shooting, so I was well prepared." she joked. "Plus, I had Ziva. Anyway, I approached without being noticed and saw Ziva burying something. Two days later, she left and I went to Tel Aviv but I couldn't help it. I went back to Be're Sheva. I dug where Ziva had and I unburied a box." Angelina explained.

"The box with the list." Tony stated 100% sure for the answer that he was going to receive and Angelina nodded.

"Like I told you, both Adam and I were determined to tell you everything when Ziva went back to D.C. At the beginning we tried countless times to persuade her to talk to you but she didn't." she revealed. "That night before I came to your apartment I tried to persuade Ziva to be the one who would tell you the truth about her and Adam but I failed for one more time. Reading what she had written on that list I couldn't let her waste one more chance on happiness."

Tony took a sip of his coke and turned his attention towards Ziva and Adam. Adam said something and Ziva laughed very loud.

"I first met Ziva 9 years ago." Angelina started looking at her husband and her friend. Tony turned and looked at Angelina.

"I thought Adam introduced you to her." he replied with surprise and the woman shook her head.

"Dad had come in Israel for business and I followed him. Ziva was our protection detail along with two more Mossad Officers." she explained. "It was the summer your Director was killed." Tony swallowed hard on Angelina's mention to Jenny. After all those years he was still blaming himself about her death, if even it proved that she would have died anyway because of the Cancer. "It was only a month but the friendship between us had grown. We were spending all the day together." she continued with a smile. "I found on her the sister I had never had and Ziva found on me the sister that she had lost."

"That's why she played the match maker between you and Adam?" he asked with a smirk.

Angelina's face faded. "I wish she had." she said with a voice full of hurt. Tony's face turned to serious waiting for her to continue. Because frankly, he couldn't understand why Angelina's mood changed so quickly but most important what she was talking about.

The woman took a sip of her drink and sighed before continued. "Like I told our friendship had grown between us, but my dad and I had to go back in Berlin and Ziva had to go on a mission. However, she came back and she was reassigned on NCIS again. We kept in touch with each other. We had video calls or phone calls twice or three times a week but suddenly in May any communication was cut off."

The realization hit Tony like a ton of bricks "Somalia." he chocked and Angelina just nodded with sadness.

"It had been 3 weeks and I couldn't reach her. I started to worry, so my father got in touch with the German Embassy to D.C. They informed us that Ziva had stopped being Liaison Officer on NCIS one month ago and went back in Israel." Angelina revealed. "Dad had a friend on Israeli Government and contacted with him. Three days later he informed us that Ziva had gone on a mission for Mossad and…"she trailed off and wiped her eyes. "My heart had broken. I booked a flight ticket to Israel immediately. I wanted to visit my best friend's grave, to say 'goodbye.'" she confessed with a cracked voice.

Tony's grip tightened on the bottle of his coke. Even if he and Ziva had left Somalia in the past, hearing Angelina how much she got hurt from that story, he was overcome with anger. How careless had he behaved that night in Ziva's apartment? Because now he knew that didn't cause only pain to him and Ziva, but also to Angelina and Adam. Tony was aware of Adam's pain the night before when he uttered that cursed place, and the young man squeezed his shoulder. The way he did it didn't reveal only sympathy, but also pain. Tony's grip became so tight on the bottle that he thought that it would shatter into his fist.

"When I arrived in Mossad HQs her father's secretary informed me that there was no body and that I couldn't meet Ziva's father to talk to him. That was when I met Adam. He was going out frustrated from Eli's office, cursing in Hebrew. He was so angry that he didn't notice me and bumped into me."

"And what happened afterwards?" Tony questioned eagerly to know the continuation.

"He asked 'I'm sorry' in Hebrew and turned to look at me. Our eyes met and that was it. Love at the first sight." she said with a smile.

"I suppose Adam's visit to Eli had to do with Somalia and Ziva." Tony said more as statement that a question.

"Uhuhh." Angelina confirmed. "Adam introduced himself and asked me on a coffee date immediately. During it he asked me what a beautiful German girl like me had to with the Director of Mossad." she went on blushing. "when I explained him the reason of visit he couldn't believe the coincidence."

"There's no such thing as coincidence." Tony quoted the famous Gibbs' rule.

"Exactly!" Angelina pointed out. "Anyway, Adam informed me that Ziva's father had assigned to one of his Deputy Directors Ziva's research but without result. That's why he got out from the office so upset."

"That's lie!" Tony shouted and stood up with anger slamming his hand on the table. "He left her die in the desert the son of a bitch." he went on with raised voice. Some of the guests turned their attention toward him and Angelina, but fortunately Adam and Ziva didn't realize the whole incident. The young woman touched Tony's arm and beckoned him to sit. Tony sighed and sat obeying at Angelina's request.

"I'm sorry but…" Tony trailed off and ran his fingers through his hair.

"It's ok." Angelina reassured. "but if you let me continue you might understand." Tony nodded and Angelina took sip of her drink before she went on. "Back then Adam didn't believe Eli but after his murder, he started to have doubts. Because the man that Eli had assigned Ziva's research was the one who ordered his death few years later."

"Bodnar." Tony mumbled with rage. "He was seeing Ziva as a threat, fearing that he might take over her father's place as Director of Mossad. So are you implying that Bodnar might have known that Ziva was alive but he lied to Eli that she was dead?"

"Ya." Angelina replied quietly in German. "Maybe that's it. Look, I know that Eli was a selfish bastard. He manipulated his own daughter, accusing her even of a murder, so he would bring her back to Mossad. I don't justify his actions but I want to believe that deep down he had the sense of the father."

"Does Ziva know those things?" Tony asked and the woman gave nod of affirmation. "So that's you met Adam." he continued wanting to change a subject, because frankly he couldn't bare more revelations about that summer.

"Yes. I stayed in Israel almost the whole summer. During that time Adam and I started to hanging out first as friends, asking him things about Ziva, you know about her childhood and her family." Angelina explained. "But the inevitable eventually happened. I must confess," she went on after taking the last sip of her drink. "if it hadn't been Ziva we wouldn't have been here today and I' am not only talking about my meeting with Adam. I' am talking about the support that Ziva had given in this relationship. Because, I won't lie I'm not a person that you can count on 100%, well I wasn't before at least. My relationship with Adam had many ups and downs because of me, because of my behavior but Ziva was there and helped me, helped us. That friendship with that woman changed my life to the better. From the outside you can see the ruthless Ziva but from the inside one of the most caring, supportive, sensitive people in the World. She has been betrayed by many people, that's why this is something that she lets few people to see it. The only ones who really deserve it." Angelina completed. "But you already know that." she added with a tease.

"Angelina, thank you." Tony said with a smile to his face.

"For what?" the woman she asked with a raising eyebrow.

"For sharing all this, a part of your life." he replied and Angelina smiled at him.

"You are family, Tony." she said back and took his hand on hers. "The brother that I never had." Tony blushed on Angelina's words.

"Where have you been the two of you?" Ziva asked while she was approaching along with Adam.

"Over here, talking." Angelina answered casually.

"About what?" Adam asked curiously and both he and Ziva sat on the table along with Tony and Angelina.

"The weather and different subjects like…European Economy." Tony retorted and waved the German flag.

"Tony the only thing you know about European Economy is Euro currency." Ziva replied.

"I also know and English Pound." Tony fired back with his best English accent mimicking Bond and Angelina with Adam burst into laughter, while Ziva rolled her eyes.

And that was the way the four of them spent the rest of the day, teasing each other, taking about good or bad moments, but most of all having fun with each other, like everybody do on a friendship, like everybody do on a family.

* * *

**Thank you for reading. Please review let me know what you think. Tell me do you like Angelina? I want to know your opinion about her. And remember:******You can always contact with me and express your opinion about my Author's Note through PM or my Twitter Account ( AthenaKokkali), having as only request the reviews will be only for the storyline.****


	32. Chapter 32

**Author's Note**

**I have such a great time re-watching The X-Files along with Beatrix acs . Mulder and Scully are reminding me so much of TIVA and versus. Just watch them and you will see I'm right.  
**

**Anyway, back to NCIS. Watching the finale closely I have begun to believe that Ziva is alive. I don't really know if there was a deleted scene which revealed that Ziva was alive or not but for me everything's indicating that Ziva is alive out there either in Israel or Paris. However the NCIS chapter for me has closed. I don't know if I will ever manage to write a story Post 13x24 but that doesn't mean I won't honor TIVA. **

**Anyway back to the story.**

**I must warn the chapters that they will follow will be full of angst. Whatever you read in the continuation won't be likeable to you. However, I couldn't find another way for the characters to go through a huge catharsis in a way express their emotions with honesty. But I promise it will be fixed. Just be patient.**

**Debbie: Thank you for your review as always. I'm honored to have you as a regular follower.**

**Sue Dooley: Thank you for your review as always.**

**Guests: Thank you for your reviews.**

**Specials thanks:**

**To Teresa: who is my personal consultant on this story.**

**To anyone who REALLY believed on my contribution on the battle of TIVA.**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed even the one's who only read that story**

**Warning: This chapter isn't edited and corrected by Beta so forgive me for my grammar errors. Unfortunately English isn't my first language. **

**Disclaimer: The season Finale is proof that I don't own NCIS.**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…**

**Athena**

* * *

_Beep Beep Beep Beep_

"Oh Tony, come on! Turn it off." Ziva groaned groggily and covered her head with the pillow. The blaring alarm clock was getting so much on Ziva's nerves that if it wasn't stop beeping any time soon she would shoot it with her Sig.

"Tony, please turn that thing off!" she shouted and pressed the pillow harder over her head.

Tony made his way fully dressed out of the bathroom toward the bed and slapped on the button silencing the alarm clock. "Someone slept on the wrong side yesterday night." he pointed out and Ziva moved the pillow from her face to look at him. "Good morning sleeping-beauty." he said with a grin and leaned over to kiss her.

Ziva wrapped her arms around Tony's neck and deepened the kiss. The kiss was so passionate making them known that their libido wanted each other. Ziva hand's slipped between her and Tony and started unbuttoning his dress-shirt.

"Ziva." Tony breathed breaking the kiss.

"No." she mumbled kissing his jaw line.

"Ziva we are going to be late-" but she cut Tony off with a kiss before continued.

"I don't care Tony. I want you." she breathed. "I haven't made love to you since that night in the farmhouse." she told him full of lust. "I missed you." she whispered biting his lower lip with her teeth. Tony crawled on top of Ziva's and kissed her hard.

"Oh." Ziva gasped when Tony rested his hand on the curve of her hip. Tony laughed through the kiss hearing Ziva's moans. He loved the power he had over her.

"Get up and take a shower, we have to go to work." he said and got up over her starting buttoning his dress-shirt. Ziva groaned with frustration that Tony stop making out with her. "Come on, Zee-vah!" he encouraged. "Get up!" he ordered and Ziva buried her face on the pillow. "Ok that's it! Get up!" Tony said and pulled the covers over Ziva's body. Ziva turned her head to look at him and threw him a death glare as she sat at the edge of the bed.

"You really know how to ruin a moment." Ziva commented annoyed and made her way towards the bathroom.

"I had good teacher on that." he fired back and received a light slap on the chest. Tony grabbed Ziva from her wrist and placed a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll be downstairs making breakfast, ok?"

"Kay." she said back returning the quick kiss on the lips and entered the bathroom.

* * *

"Ummm" Ziva moaned as she entered the kitchen stretching out her body. "This is nice." she commented biting into a slice of bread after she sat on the table.

"Will you and Abby go for wedding dress today?" Tony asked while he was chopping fruits on the counter.

"I don't know." she replied between her bites. "If we don't catch up with a case, maybe we will." she went on. "I mean we went in five stores the previous week. One store per day Tony, one store per day." she clarified to her fiancé. "and she didn't like anything Tony, she didn't like any wedding dresses. She's doing like it's her wedding and wedding dress, not mine." she finished and licked the jam from her finger. Tony turned and looked at her smiling.

"She just wants everything to be perfect that's all." Tony explained. "You know how Abby is. Abby is…is just Abby." he commented and turned his attention back to his work. "But if you don't find something that you don't really like, I have no problem of marrying you with the NCIS cap and jacket even on a crime scene if it is needed."

"I know." Ziva answered simply and stood up from the table approaching Tony from behind. Leaning up on her tiptoes she coyly patted Tony's ass and he jumped with surprise in her action. "I 'am not going to go at work today if I don't get what I want." she stated firmly. "My little hairy butt." she whispered on Tony's ear seductively and nibbled on his earlobe. Ziva's actions sent shiver all over Tony's body. Stopping his work he placed carefully the knife on the counter and turned to face her. She wanted him right here and right now. He could see it in her eyes. And truth be told, he wanted her too.

'Screw the consequences of being late at work DiNozzo.' he thought and grabbed her from her waist placing a hungry kiss on her lips. Ziva pressed harder with her hands Tony's head towards her deepening the kiss as much as she could. When the air was needed and they broke the kiss, Tony held her under her thighs, and after he knocked the breakfast dishes out, he set her down roughly at the edge on the kitchen table.

"Tony." Ziva moaned and ran her hands over Tony's chest to the top of his pants while he was leaning forward to kiss her. Tony captured her lips with a hungry kiss and put his hands under her shirt. Ziva pulled away looked him in the eyes.

"I'm glad you took the cue." she breathed heavily with a devilish smile on her face and made quick work of his belt, pushing his pants and boxers to his ankles.

"I love you." Tony told her without hesitation and glued his lips on her neck. "I want you." he continued and cupped her breasts under her shirt.

"Tony." Ziva she shouted closing her eyes in Tony's action.

"Shhh." he whispered into her ear and took her shirt off giving her afterwards one hungry kiss. Tony placed his hands between him and Ziva and worked on her pants pushing them down on her ankles with her kicking them off. "Oh Ziva." he gasped, after he entered her. "You feel so good." his voice trembled. "So tight."

"Only because of you, my love." Ziva said back between the gasps.

"I love you Ziva." Tony repeated without stopping peppering kisses all over her body. After almost one year he still couldn't believe that Ziva was back to D.C. That she was finally his, making love to her the way he had never made to woman, giving her his body and his soul completely. "Do you know what I love on you when I make love to you?" he said to her between his huffs.

"What?" Ziva questioned supporting herself by Tony's shoulders.

"The look in your eyes." it was the only thing he answered and framed her face with his palms so he could look into them. "It's so beautiful." he continued kissing her. "So pure." he went on suckling her breast feeling her soft skin on his tongue. Dragging his lips across her jaw line he earned a moan from her. "And when you come to the peak along with me." he cut him self off hearing Ziva's moan as they climaxed in unison. "it's so warm and content." he completed with trembling voice and rested his forehead on hers after he gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"I love you." Ziva said and kissed his neck burying her face in it.

"I love you." Tony mumbled into her hair keeping her tight in his arms.

* * *

"Good morning David." Both Tony and Ziva said in unison as they stepped into the elevator.

Good morning Ziva, Tony." the young Agent said and pressed the buttons of the first and the third floor.

"How did FLECT go Probie?" Tony asked and Ziva gave him an elbow on the stomach.

"Stop teasing him Tony." she told him a little angry.

"It's ok Ziva. I don't have a problem really." David assured. "It was good. How about your wedding? Everything is set?"

"Yes, everything's set. Thank you for asking." Ziva said with a smile.

"Bye guys, see you later." David said and stepped out of the elevator. When the elevator doors closed and the metal box started to move Ziva went to the wall and pulled the switch off, with Tony looking at her curiously.

"Ziva what's wrong?" Tony asked confused and Ziva approached him.

"I want you." Ziva answered her voice full of passion.

"I know you do." Tony said with a grin. "you made me understand it very well this morning, plus the fact that during the whole ride you had your hand on my-oh!" he groaned as he made contact with the cool metal box after Ziva had shoved him against it.

"SHUT UP AND KISS ME." Ziva declared to him sternly and placed a passionate kiss on his lips.

"You know." Tony started after they broke the kiss "one of my fantasies with you was to have sex here in the elevator."

"Well, I was fantasying something more challenging." Ziva said back and Tony raised an eyebrow. "Gibbs' desk." she whispered into his ear and Tony opened his eyes wide. She was horny that day she couldn't get enough of him. She couldn't wait the night would come so she would be on bed with him and make love to him. "But let's compromise with this." she went on and moved her hands on Tony's belt. "For now." she emphasized almost quietly the last two words and undid his belt, peppering kisses on his neck at the same time.

* * *

"Where is everybody?" Tony asked when he and Ziva entered the bullpen.

"That's a good question because is 10:30 a.m., and no one is here not even Gibbs." Ziva remarked as both she and her fiancé sat on their desks.

Tony turned his computer on . "I don't care about the others as much as I care about Gibbs' missing." he replied and Ziva raised her head to look at him. "What?" he asked confused. "I mean do you really want to give explanations of being late?" Tony added. "Sorry boss of being late but Ziva and I had sex on our kitchen table and a quickie in the elevator afterwards where you have your 'conferences.'" he said sarcastically and a strange noise like thud was heard under McGee's desk.

"OH. MY. GOD!" McGee exclaimed and appeared under his desk rubbing with his hand the head.

"Probie?" Tony asked surprised and leaned to look at him. "Where were you?"

"I was looking at the wires of my computer Tony but I shouldn't have done it considering of what I have just heard." McGee replied hissing and sat on his desk still rubbing his head.

"Relax McEmbarrassment, it's normal thing between couples, maybe you should try those-" but he was interrupted by the young Agent.

"You had sex in the elevator!" McGee almost shouted. "And your kitchen table!" he continued frustrated. "And now that I know I can't stop- oh my God!" he cried. "I will need bleach to wash my mind."

"At ease, McGee, all right we did it. You found it out, end it. It does not need to be broadcasted all over the building." Ziva explained.

"No one else has to find it out. Especially Gibbs." Tony said seriously.

"Yes, especially Gibbs. He will never, never find out." Ziva repeated and threw on McGee a death glare.

"What I will never, never find out?" Gibbs asked as he entered the bullpen with a cup of coffee on his hand. Tony and Ziva were left speechless, not knowing what they would say but that the exact moment Gibbs' phone rang and the pair sighed of relief. "Grab your gear! Two Lance Corporals dead." the ex-Marine shouted and threw his empty cup on the trash bin while McGee, Tony and Ziva grabbed their bag packs.

"Where in the hell is Bishop?" the silver-haired man cursed.

"Over here!" Bishop shouted and stood up from the floor behind her desk.

"Oh great Bishop also knows." Tony murmured under his breath.

The four Agents made their way toward the elevator, with Gibbs head-slapping both Tony and Ziva. "I told you to keep it out of the office." he told them and let them looking at each other rubbing their heads.

"Of course he knows he's Gibbs." Tony and Ziva said at the same time and followed the rest of the team.

* * *

"Wow! Someone was very pissed." Tony commented as he Ellie and Ziva approached the two bodies which had multiple gunshots on their chests.

"Or someone wanted to make sure that those two would be dead." Ziva said and Tony looked at her.

"Interesting remark Agent David." he replied intrigued by her answer. Ziva understood that he was teasing her and stuck her tongue out at him.

"DiNozzo, David!" Gibbs shouted while he was approaching with Ducky and Palmer. "Stop behaving like children and start working NOW!"

"I'll go with McGee to check on the perimeter." Tony said glancing at his fiancée. "I love you." he mouthed winking at her at the same time, and took away from her.

"Get a room!" Ellie said with a chuckle and Ziva turned to look at her blushing. "Hey, no offense. I'm not telling this because of what I heard in bullpen, but for the fact you are both so happy." she clarified and Ziva smiled. "I have never seen Tony so happy even and his eyes are shining." Ellie continued and both she and Ziva paid their attention on Tony and McGee who were checking the perimeter.

"Yes he is." Ziva murmured watching her fiancé to give orders to McGee. "And I still can't believe that I'm the reason." she went on before she burst into laughter watching Tony head slapping McGee.

"You really know how to head-slap hard!" McGee commented annoyed rubbing the back of his head.

Tony threw him a death glare. "Probie!" he shouted. "Work! Let's get it over with. We have to solve that case quickly. Ziva has to pick a wedding dress." he continued and started searching for any tracks.

"It has grown on you, hasn't it?" McGee asked and Tony looked at him with question. "The thought of Ziva as your wife." the young Agent clarified while he was looking for evidence and the SFA smiled.

"Yeah it has." Tony replied without hesitation. "I have never felt so excited, so impatient to get married not even with Wendy."

"I don't how it was with Wendy because I hadn't met you back then, but I do know how you had felt few weeks after you-" but McGee chocked on his next words watching Tony's look. "Sorry man I didn't-" he tried to apologize but Tony cut him.

"But you did." he said with anger. "And if Ziva was around-" but it was McGee's turn to cut Tony off.

"She has the right to know Tony." Tim argued. "She will be your wife and-"

"And she will never find it out. It was a mistake which belongs to the past and stays there. I won't risk Ziva breaking up with me." Tony said ducking his head.

"What if she finds it out after your wedding huh?" McGee asked and Tony raised his head to look at him. "What if…that woman shows up then, have you ever wondered how Ziva will feel? How will she feel that she had been fooled from the love of her life…from her husband? Tony…" the young man said and looked Tony in the eyes squeezing his shoulder. "Tell her the truth. Remember, the lies and the secrets were the reasons you and Ziva have wasted all this time. Look what happened with her lie about Adam. Don't make the same mistake brother. Truth will out eventually. It always does." Tim advised Tony and the SFA observed him.

McGee was partly right. Apart from rule #12 secrets, lies and their consequences were the reasons that kept Ziva away from him all those years. Now that they had Gibbs' blessing the only thorn on their relationship was Tony's secret. That stupidity he did 1.5 years ago.

"You're right Tim." Tony answered sighing and leaned against a tree. "When the case is over, I'll tell her everything. Let's continue." he went on and pushed him self from the tree. McGee followed him and restarted the research.

* * *

"Lance Corporals Jonathan Arden and Robert Gartner, ages 30 and 27." Tony started putting their photos on the screen so the rest of the team could see them. "Both singles, two tours on Afghanistan first as Marines on the same Unit and then as auxiliary staff in the armory. After they came back from their deployment, they took over positions as supply's inspectors Military equipment in Quantico." Tony concluded looking at his notes.

"What about their service files?" Gibbs asked "any offence?"

"Nothing Boss." McGee replied "not even bar fights. I have never seen so perfect files before."

"Ziver." What do we know about the murder weapon?" the ex Marine asked.

"Well," Ziva started putting the photos on the screen. "There wasn't any murder weapon on the crime scene or the perimeter as you know very well, but we can identify the kind." she clarified. "AK-47 assault rifle aka Kalashnikov place of Origin Former Soviet Union full-auto or Semi-auto depending of user's taste, caliber 7.62 m.m. shooting range 984 feet as full-auto, 1312 feet as semi-auto. Abby ran the slugs we found on the bodies and the crime scene but without any luck." she informed. "And truth be told, it was expected. They are more than 90 millions of AK-47 all over the World and they are still on production in today's Russia and other countries."

"So we are in dead end as far as the murder weapon for now." Gibbs concluded and Ziva gave a nod of affirmation.

"Armory Custodians, Russian guns. Gibbs, are we talking about Illegal Firearms Trafficking over here?" Bishop asked in disbelief.

"I don't think so, Ellie." McGee argued "their service files are perfect, there is no any evidence that they were part of firearms trafficking." he went on with confidence.

"Maybe they weren't them. Maybe someone else was part of it and Arden with Gartner found out." Ziva assumed.

"And they murdered them." Bishop added.

"Probably." it was the only thing that Ziva said.

"Or probably not." McGee disagreed again "They were together on two tours in Afghanistan working together when they were back. Obviously they were friends. Maybe they were the wrong time on the wrong place."

"And they were murdered with AK-47?" Ziva asked in disbelief. "I don't think so."

Stepping away from the rest of the team who was making speculations about the case Tony leaned against McGee's desk, and lost in his thoughts. The two dead Marines and the fact the case might involved Illegal Firearms Trafficking made him remember what had happened one year ago, when he was temporary Team Leader. How a simple undercover mission went so wrong. How his careless, the fact that he had trusted the wrong people once, had cost the life of two innocent Marines. All this nightmare which came back to haunt him, in combination with the conversation he had with McGee, made him totally mess.

_*smack*_

Gibbs head-slapped Tony with force. "I'm talking to you DiNozzo, and you don't listen. What's wrong with you?" the ex-marine asked. Tony rubbed the back of his head and saw his boss along with the rest of team looking at him with concern.

"Sorry Boss, I was just…." Tony tried to explain stuttering his words. Gibbs locked his cold-blue eyes on Tony's. "I'm tired Boss, that's all" he lied.

"Go with Ziver on Arden's place and search it!" Gibbs ordered not taking his eyes from Tony's. He knew that his SFA was lying but it wasn't the right time to have this kind of conversation. "I'll go with McGee to check on Gartner's place. Ellie." he barked.

"Yes, Gibbs" Ellie replied.

"Check everything about them. Back accounts, phone records, I want to know even what kind of shampoo they were using. Did I make myself clear?" he demanded sternly grabbing his backpack.

"I'm already on it." it was Ellie's response as she started typing furiously on her computer.

When Gibbs made his way towards the elevator and rest of the team followed Ziva stopped Tony grabbing him from the arm and looked him with concern.

"Are you alright Tony?" she asked with worry.

"I'm alright, just tired." he answered lying and handed the car keys to Ziva with her looking at him concerned. Tony stepped towards the elevator with Ziva watching him leave before she turned her attention at the keys in her palm. Tony was rarely letting her drive the Agency's car. Something was wrong with him and she had to find out what it was.

"David today!" Gibbs barked and Ziva jumped with surprise as she was lost in her thoughts. With quick steps she headed for the elevator and stepped into it few seconds before the doors closed.

* * *

Ziva was worrying about Tony. During the whole ride to Arden's Tony was silent and leaned against the window, lost in his thoughts. She was glancing at him while she was driving but he never returned her gaze. In an attempt for him to speak to her, Ziva was making on purpose reckless moves with the car without taking any response from him though.

"Are you alright?" Ziva asked her fiancé after they stepped out of the car. "you seem a little bit out." she went on mistaking the idiom on purpose waiting for Tony to correct but he didn't.

"I told you I'm tired." he replied casually while they were heading towards the house. "What?" he asked confused as Ziva grabbed his forearm in death grip and pulled him back.

"The door." it was the only thing that Ziva said. "Someone has forced the door." she continued and pulled her gun from its holster.

Tony did the same thing and both he and Ziva stepped towards the house with slow and almost noiselessly steps. Arriving at the porch, Ziva opened the half-open door, so Tony would go inside first. As soon as they entered the house Ziva motioned with her head to the room where the light was on. The pair with guns drawn, approached the door.

"Hands in the air, so we can see them." Tony shouted with him and Ziva pointing their guns on a man and a woman where they were searching Arden's .room. The unknown couple stopped in dead in its tracks. "Raise your hands slowly." Tony demanded. "Easy, easy, easy, nice job." he went on as the two unknown people obeyed on Tony's order, raising their hands.

"We are Federal Agents Special Agent Ronald Combs and Nicole Edmond, ATF." the man said and Tony swallowed hard at the mention of this particular Agency. "My credentials on the left inside pocket of my jacket." the man continued with steady voice.

"Turn around, slowly." Tony ordered and the pair did as they were told. "you or me?" he went on asking Ziva and she without saying anything lowered her gun and approached the man.

"He's telling the truth." Ziva said showing to Tony the credentials she took from Comb's pocket.

Tony lowered his gun and placed it on its holster. "Special Agents Anthony and Ziva DiNozzo, NCIS." Tony replied and Ziva looked at him with open wide eyes.

"Tony are you nuts?" Ziva asked frustrated. "Why did you pronounce me with your last name?" we are not married yet!" she went on hissing and placed her gun on its holster too.

"I just wanna see how it sounds, that's all." Tony defended. The ATF Agents were hearing in disbelief the conversation between the couple, their hands still in the air.

"Oh really?" Ziva asked intrigued. "So how does it sound?" she went on and crossed her arms in front of her chest waiting for an answer.

"Amazing!" Tony exclaimed with a grin on his face.

"Well, Tony, guess what! It's the first and the last time you hear it because I'm not using your last name at work!" Ziva declared sternly.

"Why not, Ziva?" Tony asked with puppy eyes.

"Because-"

"Ahem!" Combs cleared his throat and the pair looked at him. "Can we put our hands down please and then you can-"

"Not now!" Tony and Ziva yelled back at Combs at once and the Agent backed off seeing the death glares from the couple.

"So you are not going to use my name at work?" Tony said with frowned face.

"No, Tony I won't. Because it might be dangerous! I will use my name Ziva David." Ziva said determinedly. "Da-veed" she emphasized to Tony.

"Fine!" Tony responded annoyed and turned his attention towards the ATF Agents "You can put your hands down now." he went on waving them to do it.

"And tell us what you are doing here." Ziva added.

"Well we found this address with a name Jonathan Arden written on piece of paper on jacket pocket." Agent Edmond responded.

"Of a dead guy who was suspect for Illegal Rirearms Trafficking." Combs continued and took out a evidence bag with a piece of paper on it from his pants." this the note." he told Tony showed him the note. "Nickolas Montgomery it was the dead guy's name."

"We found fingerprints on it but we didn't find match on AFIS." Agent Edmond added.

"Why didn't AFT inform NCIS?" Ziva questioned.

"Because we didn't consider Arden as a suspect for murder." Agent Edmond replied. "We just wanted to ask some questions but after we found the door forced-" but Tony cut her.

"Whoa! You found the door forced?" Tony asked and the ATF Agents nodded. Tony rubbed his chin with his hand trying to think.

"And Arden is dead." Ziva replied.

"So his partner." Tony noted.

"Tony what are going to do?" Ziva asked and Tony sighed.

"Call Gibbs." Tony told Ziva. "Ronny!" he shouted to Combs. "Call your supervisor. ATF and NCIS probably are going to have a joint op."

* * *

**Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think. And remember: You can always contact with me and express your opinion about my Author's Note through PM or my Twitter Account. ( AthenaKokkali), having as only request the reviews will be only for the storyline.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Author's Note**

**Hello readers. Thank you very much of your support. This is 33th chapter of the story and I must to inform you I don't when the next chapter will be up. I start working on my summer post and I won't have much time for writing. Like I told you on a previous Author's Note I have some chapter pre-written but they some editing before unloading them and I don't know if I have enough time to do it.**

**Debbie: Thank you for your review as always. **

**Sue Dooley: Thank you for your review as always.**

**Specials thanks:**

**To Teresa: who is my personal consultant on this story.**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed even the one's who only read that story**

**Warning: This chapter isn't edited and corrected by Beta so forgive me for my grammar errors. Unfortunately English isn't my first language. **

**Disclaimer: Nope I don't own NCIS**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces…**

**Athena**

* * *

"Well," Tony started. "We have two Lance Corporals dead."

"Who happened to be Armory Custodians in Quantico." Ziva continued.

"And the name of one of them was found on a piece of paper which was on an army dealer's body." Combs added.

"Possible army dealer." Ellie emphasized as went down the stairs with Gibbs. "Tony told me that he was just a suspect."

"That's Special Agent Eleanor Bishop former NSA Analyst and now member of our team." Tony said to Combs. "And our Team Leader Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. This is Special Agent Ronald Combs I call him Ronny." he went on with a tease.

"He's an ATF Agent." Ziva added

Ellie froze. "A-A-T-ATF?" she stuttered and looked at Tony with the SFA frowning at the mention of the Agency.

"Yes, ATF, is something wrong, Ms?" Combs asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing." Gibbs declared sternly. "you are reassigned to our team until we solve the case. Your partner will be your contact of ATF for as long as you are working with us. Welcome on board." Gibbs said and head-slapped Combs before he sat at his desk.

"Does he always do that when a newbie comes on board?" the ATF Agent asked Bishop, rubbing the back of his head.

"Not only to newbie but to everyone on his Team every day." Bishop clarified and Combs opened his eyes wide from terror.

"Excuse me." Tony said and made his way towards the men's room upset.

Watching him like that the most of the day Ziva wanted to follow him but Gibbs stood from his desk and stopped her.

"Gibbs please." she pleaded. "He has been acting strange since the morning and I don't know why." she went on with worry and Gibbs stared at her.

"Stay here, Ziver, I'll go to talk to him." the ex-Marine told the young woman and squeezed her shoulder, before he followed Tony in the men's room.

* * *

Tony splashed cool water onto his face over the sink. Raising his head he glanced at his reflection on the mirror. He shut his eyes leaning on the sink and opened them again, wishing all of this to be a bad dream. However, nothing had changed. The moment that had reached for the towel, he heard the door cracking, and familiar steps approaching him.

"You know it feels like Déjà vu, Boss." Tony said and turned to face the older man, drying his face off with the towel at the same time. Gibbs didn't anything waiting for Tony to continue. "The case, the whole scenery."

"It wasn't your fault, DiNozzo." it the only thing that Gibbs said.

"Two Marines died, Boss someone's fault was that." Tony fired back, with a cynical smile.

"Yes, but not yours." Gibbs he repeated trying to reassure his SFA.

"Tell that on their wives and their children." Tony said sadly and ducked his head leaning against the sink. "I planned the op I chose those Marines, I sent them to Death." he said with cracked voice. "And that's because-" he trailed off.

"You couldn't have known, DiNozzo no-one of us could."

"I could have." Tony fired back and pushed himself from the sink. "I shouldn't have gone to her apartment after what had happened. I was so naïve, so stupid." he shouted and kicked frustrated the trash bin with his foot.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked "Get over it!" Grabbing Tony from his shoulders, he looked at him in the eyes. "Get over it! You have a woman outside that door that she loves you with all her heart." the ex-Marine went on pointing his finger on the door "who worries as hell and you-"

"I'm ashamed Boss. I'm ashamed." Tony confessed "I can't keep it secret from her anymore. Sometimes I'm looking into her eyes and-" he stopped talking and stepped away from his boss. "I'm gonna tell her everything. McGee is right. I had purpose of telling her everything after we would have done with the case but I can't. I can't wait." he cried. "I'm gonna tell her everything now." Tony declared determinedly and made his way towards the door with quick steps. Gibbs grabbed him tight from his arm.

"You are not gonna tell her anything DiNozzo!" Gibbs ordered and tightened his grip on Tony's arm. "you will keep your mouth shut! You have been through a lot already. Both of you! It's not worth."

"Boss, let me do it!" Tony demanded trying to free his arm. "If I won't do it, I might lose her!"

"If you tell her YOU are going to lose her. WE are going to lose her." Gibbs emphasized and Tony stopped struggling to free his arm. "We betrayed her DiNozzo." the ex-Marine continued with a cracked voice. "We didn't care for her; we pretended that she was dead. She will never forgive us for what happened. Never!" he went on and ducked his head freeing Tony's arm. "I lost her twice, I'm not gonna let this happen for one more time. She's my 'kid.'" Raising his head again he looked at Tony "I want my 'family' united DiNozzo, I want my 'family' united and my 'children' happy."

"What if that woman shows up huh?" Tony asked with a raised voice. "What if she shows up and tells everything to Ziva? What will happen then? What?!" he screamed and Gibbs observed him.

"She lives across the country DiNozzo..." he replied trying to calm Tony's fear. "she won't come back. But even if she does we will make her look like a lunatic." Gibbs said with confidence and stepped close to Tony "there would be her words against ours. Who do you think Ziva would believe?" Tony looked at his boss with wide eyes. Stepping away from his Agent the ex-Marine continued. "go and say to Ziva and the rest that they can go home." Tony made his way towards the door. "And DiNozzo." Gibbs shouted and Tony turned to look at him. "we are on your side. Don't forget that." Tony the only thing he did was to nod before he closed the door behind him.

* * *

Tony came back on the bullpen after his conversation with Gibbs, and plastering a fake DiNozzo grin he told Ziva and the rest that they can go home. However, Ziva understood that something was bugging him. During their ride back home he was silent again, leaving Ziva to drive for one more time that day. As for the moment they went to bed she could feel his anxiety on the way he was keeping her in his arms, on the way he was caressing her skin.

"Ok that's it what's wrong?" Ziva asked almost angrily and pulled herself into a sitting position, so she could have a better look of Tony.

"Nothing, I'm just tired." he said simply and tried to take Ziva back to his arms.

"You're lying." she growled and pulled herself away from him. Tony's eyes filled with sadness and Ziva's heart broke. "Look Tony I'm sorry. But you behave so strange all day and your touch-"

"My touch?" Tony cut her confused and sat up on the bed to observe her "what about my touch?"

"When you are upset or concerned about something, you are touching me somewhere, specific." Ziva replied and he remained silent waiting for her to explain. "in the scar the one who is starting from my left shoulder and finishes on my armpit." she clarified. "And the two little circles on the left forearm."

Tony sighed. "Of course I'm upset knowing the way you got that scar." he shot back and Ziva rolled her eyes.

"You know well I don't mean that Tony." she fired back. "I mean that you are touching me especially there particular times. The times that something is eating you from inside like a cancer." she went on. "And I can remember at least 3-4 more times that you have done that"

"Oh really?" Tony asked with a raised eyebrow. "which were those times then?"

Ziva turned her body, so she could have a better look of her fiancé. "The first time it was the night that your father and Linda flew to New York after Christmas. Back then I didn't know that you were upset for the fact that your father had told you to marry me. I thought that he had told you something about him and you got upset."

"When was the second time?" Tony asked curiously and waited for Ziva to answer.

"I think the afternoon after we fought over Jeanne and made love in the living room." she answered and he waited for her to continue. "The third time was the night before you proposed me, after we made love to the bed. But even in the shower when you were hugging me, I could have sworn that you touched me there for a moment. As for the fourth time." she went on. "It was before the conversation we had about Adam and what he had said about being a family man and an Officer at the same time." Tony couldn't believe what Ziva had just told him. How a subconscious action was revealing his anxiety, when it came to her, when it came on their relationship. "I'm sure you have done it more times than those I have mentioned it, but I probably hadn't paid attention." she continued. "But when I do, even if I'm wearing a shirt from the top, I could easily feel you caressing the scar along its length." Ziva confessed.

Tony ran his index finger lengthwise the scar over her shirt. "I will never stop blaming myself for the fact-"

"We have agreed to leave this behind." Ziva interrupted him. "Yes, we were both responsible for what had happened, but I was the one who should put the most of the blame."

"Ziva-" Tony tried to argue but Ziva silenced him with her index finger and pushed him down on the bed.

"Like we had agreed we have left it behind." she went on looking at him in the eyes. "I have healed Tony. I have healed both mentally and physically." she tried to reassure him with a smile.

'It just…" he trailed off.

"They have healed Tony they don't hurt anymore." she answered. "As for the reason that you might be anxious I have a suspicion." she said and Tony's heart stopped. Lying on his chest over his heart Ziva shut her eyes and continued smiling. "the whole wedding dress discussion in the morning, made you realize that we are getting married in a short time. It's reasonable for you to feel a littlie stressed. But don't worry," she went on caressing his cheek with her knuckles. "It's worth it, and you will sense it from the moment they will pronounce us husband and wife. From the moment that you and I will be one forever."

Tony shut his eyes cursing himself from the inside. He didn't deserve Ziva. She had done everything to change for the better, for him to be the woman who deserved him, and he was lying to her, keeping such a big secret from her. Tony kept his eyes closed and that was when McGee's words echoed in his mind. _'__She has the right to know Tony she will be your wife __What if she finds it out after your wedding huh? What if…that woman shows up then, have you ever wondered how Ziva will feel? How will she feel that she had been fooled from the love of her life…from her husband?_'

"Ziva." Tony began with determination after he opened his eyes.

"What is it my love?" she asked smiling her eyes still shut.

"I need to tell you something." Tony said seriously. "I need to tell you something important." he went on and Ziva sat up on the bed and opened her eyes looking at him with concern. "I-" he started but he stopped thinking Gibbs' words. _'If you tell her YOU are going to lose her. WE are going to lose her. We betrayed her DiNozzo. We didn't care for her; we pretended that she was dead. She will never forgive us for what happened. Never!'_

"Tony what's wrong?" she asked with worry.

"I-I-I love you so much." Tony answered. "I love you so, so much." he repeated and caressed her cheek with his palm.

Ziva smiled. "I love you too my love." she said back and leaned over to give him a quick on the lips.

After Ziva pulled away, Tony looked into her eyes and sat up on the bed too. He didn't lose the opportunity and leaned forward to kiss her. Ziva responded to the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck deepening the kiss. Tony slipped his hands under Ziva's shirt, caressing her sides. One the other hand Ziva broke the kiss and pulled Tony's shirt over his head. After pushing Tony lightly on the bed so could lie down Ziva placed her self on top of him and started placing kisses on Tony's jaw line.

"I love you." Tony whispered and took Ziva's shirt off.

"Me too my love." Ziva reassured and reached for the waist of his pants. "Love me Tony, love me." she said barely than a whisper and Tony leaned over to kiss her.

"I will." he told her without hesitation and kissed her again. "I always will."

* * *

"Hold the elevator!" Ellie shouted running towards the elevator as the doors were closing. The young Agent managed to step into it as someone held the doors for her. "Thanks!" she said out of breath. "Ziva." she went on smiling.

"Good morning Ellie. How are you?" Ziva greeted with a smile as the elevator started to move.

"Late just like you." Ellie replied almost sleepy. "And without any progress on the case for one week, we should expect head-slaps again." she continued annoyed and rubbed the back of her head.

Ziva laughed. "Don't worry for any head-slaps today. Gibbs is out of town with Tony following a lead." she explained.

"Really?' Ellie said surprised. "You, McGee and me the only ones in the bullpen?"

Ziva nodded. "And Combs. Gibbs called Tony yesterday after we went back home from work. He had a lead about Arden in his hometown and he with Tony left yesterday evening."

"Thank God because after yesterday's night I couldn't deal with Gibbs too." Ellie revealed and the Israeli woman raised an eyebrow. "Forget that I even mentioned it." she went on casually and turned her attention elsewhere so Ziva wouldn't ask further questions.

Ziva pulled the switch off and the elevator came to halt. "What happened?" she asked turning her attention to the blond woman.

Ellie sighed and looked at Ziva "Jake and I had a fight." she started. Ziva didn't anything waiting for her to continue. The young woman sat on the floor of the elevator with Ziva doing the same thing, across her. "We fought about the 'C' word" she continued and Ziva looked at her confused. "Children" Ellie clarified. "children. Jake wants children."

"But you don't want to." Ziva said more as statement than a question.

"No, not yet!" Ellie confessed. "I mean, it's not a long time that I have become Special Agent, that I have started to obtain experience at work, and we just went out from a marriage crisis. Jake had cheated on me and…"she trailed off sighing. "I just don't want to-"

"Ellie you know you like a sister to me right?" Ziva cut her asking and Ellie nodded "You remind in many ways of Tali not to mention that she would have had the same age with you if she had been alive. That's why I'll give you my advice as I would have given it to her."

"Ok." it was the only thing that Ellie said.

"You have read my files and you know what I have been through." Ziva began. "But what you don't know are some things that happened afterwards, and I'm not talking about my leaving from the States and NCIS." Ellie was focused on what Ziva was saying. "Most of the women in Mossad don't manage to live over thirties. When I was at your age and I was rescued from Somalia I thought that Life gave me a second chance."

"A second chance, where you can finally make your dreams come true." Ellie said and Ziva nodded.

"A year after Somalia I met a man. He was funny, educated and I believed he was the one for me." Ziva started the recounting.

"But?" Ellie questioned eagerly.

"He wasn't the one that my heart wanted." Ziva completed with a frown.

"Tony." Ellie murmured. Ziva didn't answer something that the blond woman received as confirmation.

"Look, Ellie Tony and I never were on the same sheet..."

"Page." Ellie corrected.

"Page whatever, and then there was rule #12 on the way, and Tony's womanizing and Ray was a-" Ziva trailed off.

"A compromise, a substitute?" Ellie referred possible responses.

"A mean." Ziva said. "a mean for me to have what Tony couldn't give me. Children, family, a house with a white fence, the American dream."

"You got engaged to him?" Ellie asked in disbelief.

"When he proposed at first, no. Ray wasn't and a perfect guy. I knew that being a CIA Agent isn't easy, but he was saying lies and he was keeping secrets from me for things that it wasn't part of his job. Plus, he wasn't caring for me some times." Ziva explained.

"However, you accepted his proposal at the end." Ellie argued and Ziva confirmed her with a nod. "what happened and you broke off your engagement to him?"

"Few days before he proposed for the first time he stood me up on a date. But afterwards I found out he had a 'good' excuse for doing it." Ziva retorted.

"Another woman?" Ellie asked curiously…

Ziva shook her head. "He had killed a Navy woman Lieutenant Commander that night." she blurted out and Ellie's jaws dropped. "But you didn't hear the best part of the story. We were the team that investigated her death and arrested him. And we had found out that he was the murderer by the phone number he was using to call me while he was on mission overseas months earlier."

"Oh crap." Ellie uttered not knowing what else to say.

"He went to jail and after that I haven't heard anything about him, and to be honest I don't want to." Ziva said with steady voice. "the point of telling you all this Ellie is to make you understand one thing; you have the ability to have kids and many other things with the man that your heart wants, the man you have vowed to spend, to love for the rest of your life, despite what he had done, his cheating I mean." she explained. "Think that other women would do everything to have them, even to compromise with someone who doesn't really love, just like you said earlier."

"Ziva, if Tony asked you -"

"I would do it without hesitation." Ziva cut her.

"Well," Ellie started and stood up from the floor. "I should better say Jake to thank you then."

"Why?" Ziva asked confused after she stood up from the floor too.

"Because you made me have second thoughts about becoming a mom." the young Agent replied and pulled the switch on.

"I just want you happy." it was the only thing that Ziva said.

"Thank you." Ellie said back. "Ouch what was that for?" she went on annoyed rubbing the back of her head after Ziva head-slapped her.

"No reason." Ziva answered with a smirk and both women laughed.

* * *

"Good morning, Ronald." both women said in unison when they stepped into the bullpen. "Where are you going?" Ziva questioned with a raised eyebrow watching a box on Combs' hands.

"I was reassigned back to ATF with Nichole." Combs replied.

"And who's gonna take over from now own in your place?" Ellie asked shocked with the news.

Combs shrugged. "All I know is that this Agent is specialized in Illegal Firearms Trafficking." he said and looked around him before he beckoned the women to approach with Ellie and Ziva doing it. "And that this Agent has 'very' high-ranked friends in the Department of Justice." he continued whispering. "Anyway," the man said sighing. "The point is I'm out of here and I must say that I'm glad that I worked with you.'

"I'm gonna miss you Ronny." Ellie said and Combs let his box on Ziva's desk so he would hug Ellie.

"I'm going to miss you too Ronald." Ziva said too and hugged him briefly.

"I'll miss too all of you" Combs said back and took his box back on his hands "And Ziva I wish you every happiness with Tony."

"Thank you. We'll send you invitation for the wedding." Ziva replied with a smile.

"I can't wait. Goodbye." he waved and headed for the elevators.

"That's it! No more Ronald." Ellie commented and went to sit at her desk.

"Goodbye Ronny, welcome new Agent." Ziva said with a smirk as she was turning her computer on.

"I wonder how this new Agent will be." Ellie wondered as she was eating Doritos.

"Who new Agent?" McGee asked as he stepped into the bullpen from the stairwell.

"The new ATF Agent." Ziva responded. "Ronald was reassigned back to his Agency. They will send a specialist on Illegal Firearms Trafficking. Doritos at 9 a.m. Ellie really?" she asked in disbelief and the blond woman just chuckled.

"By the way." McGee started. "Where are Gibbs and Tony?" he asked with curiosity.

Ziva explained to McGee what had happened the night before, where Gibbs called Tony after they had back from work. That there was a lead about Arden, and of course their sudden departure for Arden's hometown so they could investigate it. The whole team was hoping this lead to help them and with the ATF Agent's assistance to unwrap those three homicides quickly. Because that case had driven them crazy, especially Ziva, who hadn't picked her wedding dress yet. The hours of the day flew by but nothing new had come up for the case.

"This is frustrating!" Ellie groaned and slammed the folders on her desk. "The only lead we have found a whole week is that Montgomery had served as Marine discharged 2 years ago, nothing else."

"It's a start." Ziva said.

"It's nothing!" Ellie screamed.

"What about Tony and Gibbs?" McGee asked "did they contact?"

"No, I'll call Gibbs." Ziva said and started to dial his number with McGee and Ellie eying her. "What?" she questioned. "He's the Boss man! It's turned off" she said simply and started dialing again. "So Tony's." she informed after few moments and placed the receiver on its place.

"Maybe they are somewhere where there is no signal." Ellie speculated and Ziva just shrugged.

"Ok it's 16:30 and Friday, and without having news from Gibbs or Tony, we should better get going." McGee said and grabbed is backpack quickly.

"Why so huried, Timmy?" Ellie asked with a smirk.

"Maybe McLoverBoy has a date with Delilahhhh tonight." Ziva replied teasingly.

"Oh please Ziva don't start nicknames too." McGee protested and Ziva stuck her tongue out at him before she laughed. "I'm leaving have a nice weekend." he announced and made his way towards the elevators.

"Bye." both women said in unison sitting on their desk.

"Ellie you can leave too." Ziva informed Bishop after few moments.

"What? Ziva are you gonna stay here alone?" Ellie asked surprised after she raised her head from work. "Why don't you come at my house to-"

"Ellie I will be fine." Ziva interrupted her. "Just go home and talk to Jake about what we had discussed earlier ok?" she went on glancing at the folder in front of her.

"Are you sure?" Ellie asked.

"Absolutely." it was the only thing that Ziva said no taking her eyes from the folder.

"Ok bye." Ellie said and stepped in hurry out of the bullpen.

"Bye, see you on Monday." Ziva replied before she started dialing Tony's number on the phone. "Where are you and Gibbs, Tony?" she wondered placing the receiver on its place after few moments, as Tony's cell was still turned off. Ziva turned her attention on the folder again in case something she had missed the first time.

* * *

It had been over a year since the last time she had stepped into that place, but it seemed to her like eternity. Stepping out from the elevator many Agents stopped dead in their tracks, watching her back on the building. And that's because the mess she had caused 1,5 year ago had upset not only the Gibbs' team but the whole Navy Yard. It was the reason why she had decided to appear that moment of the day and not earlier. Less unknown pair of eyes on her and the whole Gibbs team present on the bullpen. Because she knew how Gibbs was functioning. He would have had all of them working, on the triple homicide. However, she was wrong as she saw no one in the bullpen with all the desks empty. After over a year, nothing had changed. Only the facts that there was one more desk placed next to McGee's probably, for a new Probie as Tony would say, and that she was unwelcomed not only to Gibbs's team but also on all NCIS. Turning her head lightly, the corner of her eye caught a black and white photo of a beautiful brunette woman. It was placed on Tony's desk and judging by the background it was taken in Paris. She picked it up in her hand so she could have better look of it. What so special had that woman, so Tony would have a photo of hers on his desk?

"Excuse me may I help you?" Ziva asked her and the woman put the photo back on its place before she turned to Ziva. The voice was unknown to her that's why she used her most professional tone when she started answering.

"Yes, I'm looking for Agent…Gibbs." she trailed off surprised as she saw the person from Tony's photo in front of her.

Ziva didn't notice the woman's awkwardness and replied formally. "Agent Gibbs is out of town. And you are…"

"Special Agent Keates, ATF." the woman replied.

"The new Agent!" Ziva answered with enthusiasm. "The specialist on Illegal Firearms Trafficking." she went on and extended her hand for handshake "I'm Special Agent David. Welcome on board."

"Nice to meet you….Agent David." Keates said with interest and shook her hand with Ziva's, not taking her eyes from the Israeli woman. "Thank you."

* * *

**Yeah, Yeah Zoe is back. Please don't hate me. Anyway,thank you for reading and PLEASE REVIEW so you would let me know what you think and encourage me to continue writing. And remember: You can always contact with me and express your opinion about my Author's Note through PM or my Twitter Account. ( AthenaKokkali), having as only request the reviews will be only for the storyline.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Author's Note**

**Hello readers. Thank you very much of your support. I would like to make a personal complain considering this that story and I'm sorry about that. Some people who are reading that story are not reviewing but they are expressing your opinion through PM where are asking the continuation of the story. I'm repeating as I have written on the previews chapter and the end of the current one. PM's are only from the Author's Note criticism. Whoever wants to criticize the story they can do through the reviews. Please.**

**Anyway back to the story.**

**I'm updating the story with the 34th chapter today, because Ι don't know when i will update again. Maybe it would be months later as I have to work double shifts at work for God knows how long.**

**Guest#1: I'm not a fan Of Zoe either but like I have written on a previous Author's Notes some things should happen, so there will be catharsis for the characters. One of them is Zoe's appearance and the consequences that characters have to underline because of their actions.**

**Guest#2: Thank you for your review, stay tuned and you will see if there will be A LOT OF Angst or not.**

**Guest#3: Cote's birthday date is Ziva's too and I really wanted to see something similar on the show or a fanfic (Ziva's wedding date to be her birthday) that's why I have written that.**

**Guest#4: Like I said Guest#2 stay tuned and you will see.**

**Debbie: Thank you very much for your review as always. I'm always looking forward for your review and your opinion about the story.**

**Sue Dooley: Like I said Guest#1. I don't like Zoe, I never have. But I can tell you one thing. I will try to avoid the bashing of the characters. I'm not like some others 'writers' who are bashing characters so i will take more reviews.**

**Specials thanks:**

**To MusicWithnMe for the Hebrew Phrase.**

**To Teresa: who is my personal consultant on this story and she's the only one along with Debbie and Sue Dooley who have reviewed every single chapter of the story. You should read Teresa's TIVA stories (her pen name is Beatrix acs) which are amazing just like from BuryTheHatchet. Teresa thank you for being my friend my only true friend and of course your presents to my birthday. I loved the T-shirt you sent me and I will cherish it like the other items you have sent me this time and all the previous ones during our friendship.**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed even the one's who only read that story**

**Warning: This chapter isn't edited and corrected by Beta so forgive me for my grammar errors. Unfortunately English isn't my first language. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS and the characters.**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces and it's dedicated to the people WHO REALLY LOVE me and my story and of course NCIS and TIVA.**

**Athena**

* * *

"This is will be your desk for as long as you will be reassigned to our team." Ziva mentioned to Keates and pointed on the desk next to Gibbs', which had been occupied by Combs at first.

"I will have you across me, I suppose." Keates assumed.

"No, you will have Ellie across you, one of our team members." Ziva answered. "I'm sitting over there." she went on pointing on her desk across Tony's which Keates knew that belonged to Ellie before.

"You are sitting across your boyfriend." Keates noted and Ziva raised an eyebrow on her statement. "I saw your picture on his desk. He must love you so much." she continued with a fake smile, while she was boiling with anger from inside.

Ziva blushed. "He's not my boyfriend." she said simply and Keates observed her. If that woman wasn't his girlfriend then why Tony had her picture in a prominent position on his desk? "He's my fiancé." Ziva mumbled slyly and made her way towards her desk. Keates' blood turned to cold.

"Your fiancé?" she asked following Ziva after she recovered from the shock.

Yes, long story." Ziva retorted. "How about you? Are you engaged, married?" she asked before she covered her mouth with her hand ashamed. "I'm so sorry for asking such a personal question when-"

"It's ok." Keates interrupted and sat on a chair across Ziva.

"No it's not ok I don't even know your first name and I've started the personal questions. I'm Ziva by the way." The Israeli woman replied with a smile.

"Ziva." Keates repeated. The name wasn't unfamiliar to her. Abby and McGee made sure to inform her about Ellie's predecessor and the closeness she had with Tony one night they were out for drinks. However, the ATF Agent never heard that name rolling from Tony's tongue but only from his colleagues. It was like Ziva never existed in Tony's life before. "Ziva. Well, Ziva I'm-" she started but she was cut from Ziva's phone ringing.

"Excuse me. David." Ziva answered on the phone. "What is it Abby?" she questioned on the receiver. "No, neither Tony nor Gibbs have contacted yet." Keates was listening with interest the conversation that Ziva had on the phone with the Goth scientist. "Don't worry they will be alright. Yes, Abby as soon as one of them contacts with me I will let you know, ok?" Ziva reassured and Abby said something. "Abby, can't we just let the wedding dress hunt for today, and for tomorrow and for the day after tomorrow? I have some work to do plus I feel exhausted." she explained on the phone smiling to Keates and the ATF Agent smiled back plastering a fake smile. "ok if you are so gear to pick a wedding dress I- ok eager, eager just go pick whatever you want and I will try them on Monday. Yes really." Ziva said and a loud squeal was heard through the receiver making the Israeli woman to pull it a little from her ear. "Look Abby, I have to hang up. I have some work to do, bye." she told on the receiver and hung up. "Sorry I-" Ziva trailed off.

"It's ok I und-" Keates started but she was interrupted from Ziva's cell phone this time.

"David." she answered her cell phone without looking the caller ID.

"Sweetcheeks!" Tony exclaimed on the phone sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Tony, where have you been?" Ziva asked almost shouting and Keates was intrigued turning her attention to Ziva.

She had missed him. His voice, his touch, his kiss. And she hated it. She hated that Tony took those things from her, when they broke up. She hated that the woman in front of her, had now those things instead of her, but the most important she hated that this woman had Tony's love. The real feeling of love, something that she never had. Clenching her hand into a fist, she tried to control her anger, watching Ziva laugh with whatever Tony was saying to her on the phone.

"Ziva can you do me a favor?" Tony asked.

"Depends on what it is." she replied with a tease. Ziva heard Tony's request and sighed. "I'm not at home right now and I don't have any keys from your file cabinet and no I won't unlock it with a paperclip." she warned him.

"You don't have to." Tony reassured. "Third drawer on your desk. Open it." he went on.

"What-" Ziva tried to ask but Tony cut her.

"Just open it!" he insisted and Ziva obeyed. Opening her drawer she found a set of keys. "I suppose you have found the spare keys I've made for you. You are my fiancée, and soon to be my wife. You have every right to have access on my stuff at work." he explained. Keates observed Ziva making her way towards Tony's desk and opening his file cabinet.

"Well, there are some pairs of socks." she started. "some gummy bears. I'll take those you should know that." Ziva commented and Tony laughed. "Tony, really?" she questioned in disbelief. "How many times I have told you through the years to destroy my bikini photos?"

Ziva said finding her bikini photos on the GSM magazine. Ziva couldn't but smile watching them as bookmark on page 57. She still remembered his look years ago when she had told him that he was thinking of doing that page with her.

On the other hand, Keates opened her eyes wide after she heard that comment about the photos. Now she understood why Tony kept his drawers locked. She understood why he had never allowed her to have access on his personal items at work when they were together. His desk, his drawers were a shrine for Ziva's stuff.

"I'll destroy them by myself now." Ziva answered with a cunning smile, words that brought Keates back to reality.

Tony smirked. "Even if you destroy them, I've kept them on a memory card and as much as you look for it, you are not going to find it." he fired back with a smile on his face.

"I'm going to harm you." she warned laughing at the same time, still looking on Tony's file cabinet.

"No, you won't." Tony shot back with a chuckle. "you want me, Ziva. You want me for my body; you want me because you love me."

"It's the truth." Ziva said confirming his words "Tony I found a jewelry box."

"At last!" Tony breathed with relief "Happy anniversary sweet cheeks" he exclaimed.

"Tony I don't understand." Ziva said pretty much confused. "How? Why-"

"First of all I knew that you would be still at the office. Every time I'm on a mission without you, you are becoming workaholic Secondly; did you really believe my excuse and start looking in my drawer?" Tony asked in disbelief and Ziva blushed. "Well, as for the present many, many years ago like today, a beautiful Israeli, exotic ninja had walked into a bullpen and asked to a cocky handsome American-Italian playboy…"

"If he was having phone sex." both Tony and Ziva said in unison.

Keates was observing the whole discussion that Ziva had with Tony through the phone with anger and jealousy.

"I will never forget that day." Ziva confessed with nostalgia.

"Neither do I." Tony answered. "How could I forget the day I met my soul mate? The woman, the love of my life?"

"So I have to take you a present too." Ziva said. It wasn't question but statement.

"No you don't have to." Tony reassured. "Your return to me 1,5 year ago was the biggest and the most valuable present in my life." Ziva smiled in his words "but you can reward me on a some way." he stated and Ziva raised an eyebrow. "What are you wearing?" he asked his voice laced with lust.

Ziva's eyes opened wide. "Tony I can't tell you. I'm not alone I have the new ATF Agent here." she explained barely than a whisper and turned her head to look at Keates. The ATF Agent plastered one more fake smile which quickly faded the moment Ziva turned her back on her.

"New ATF Agent?" Tony questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Ronald was reassigned back to his Agency and they sent us a specialist on illegal firearms trafficking."

"I liked Ronny." Tony said annoyed frowning. "but whatever. Tell me Ziva what you are wearing?" he repeated his question smirking. "Are you having your hair down and curly?"

Ziva stepped away from Keates a little more. "Tony we are not having phone sex right now." she shot back whispering.

"Ok, ok just only tell what kind of color your underwear is. Is it purple, black or the flaming red the one which I lov- ouch!What was that for Boss?" Tony asked rubbing the back of his head, after he was head-slapped by Gibbs. "when did you come in and how?"

"Stop having phone-sex with your fiancée DiNozzo!" the ex-Marine shouted and Ziva laughed through the phone. Tony put Ziva on speaker so Gibbs could hear her. "At least in front of me."

"Hello Gibbs." she greeted still laughing.

"Hello Ziver, I hope everything is quiet over there." Gibbs said through the room and made his way toward the bathroom.

"Yes, Gibbs, don't worry order and safety." she reassured. "Tony." Ziva started and Tony put her back on the receiver.

"Yes, sweet cheeks?" Tony asked.

"I suppose the way I took the present means that you won't come back anytime soon." Ziva said with sadness.

Tony sighed. "Sunday night or Monday morning straight to work." he replied ιn the same tone with Ziva's.

"I miss you." Ziva blurted out with a cracked voice.

"Me too, my love, me too." he responded with hurt.

Gibbs overheard Tony's words standing on the doorframe of the bathroom. They reminded so much of him and Shannon and he smiled sadly. Yes, Tony and Ziva were happy, but if he had given his blessing earlier, things would have been different now. Ziva wouldn't have left the team not only this time but also the first one when she stayed in Israel and went to Somalia. She wouldn't have involved with Rivkin and Cruz. Tony wouldn't have started drinking again and he wouldn't have involved with Jeanne, with EJ but most important he wouldn't have involved with that devil Zoe Keates. Sighing he cursed himself for what he had done, for giving his blessing for that relationship. However, he knew very well that he couldn't change what had happened, that's why he made purpose of his life to see his two 'children happy', together.

"Ziva, do you remember the story with the Moon and the Earth?" Tony asked with sadness.

"Aha." she murmured quietly.

"The night when you will go to bed, close your eyes and become the Moon." Tony told her and lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. Ziva closed her eyes.

"Close your eyes and become the Earth." she said back biting her lower lip, so she wouldn't start sobbing,

"I will." Tony retorted and closed his eyes swallowing hard. "I love you Ziva."

"I love you Tony." she answered and sighed. "Look I have to hang up." she went on feeling her eyes wet. "Bye."

"Bye." it was the only that Tony said and hung up.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked and Tony paid his attention to his boss. "there is a bus to D.C. in 30 minutes. Move! You will barely make it." he continued and tossed Tony the duffel.

"Boss-"

"Your face reminds me of the time when you thought she was dead, and when you had come back from Israel without her." the ex-Marine explained.

"What about-" but Tony was cut off again.

"I can make it by myself. Now go before I change my mind." Gibbs declared sternly and Tony grabbed his duffel and got out from the bed.

"Thanks Boss."

"Go to your 'Shannon' son." Gibbs said smiling and Tony nodded smiling at his boss before he opened the door and left.

"Ziva." Keates shouted and the Israeli woman wiped her eyes before she turned to look at her. "I have to go. I've just moved back to D.C. and I have some things to care of. See you on Monday." she went on and Ziva only nodded. "Bye." she waved and made her way towards the elevator. Entering on it, Keates pressed the button for the lobby." Damn!" she cursed and banged the wall of the metal box with her fist. "What does she have that I don't?" she went on with anger. "What does she have that I don't? It's time for payback Spider!" Keates said with clenching teeth. "it's time for payback. To all of you."

* * *

Tony entered the house as noiselessly as he could. It was 23:00 and Ziva was probably sleeping. Stepping up the stairs as quietly as he could, he smiled when he opened the door and saw Ziva sleeping rolled on her stomach. She was so beautiful, so peaceful even if her light snore was echoing in the room. It was like a sweet melody for him, just like their song from Berlin that she had sung when he had woken up from coma. Tony dropped his duffel next to the door and unbuttoning his dress-shirt, he headed for the bed. 24 hours away from her and it felt like years. Every time he was out of town it was a true hell for both them. Even the endless phones calls they had, they couldn't fill the void of being away from another. It just wasn't feeling right. Tony slipped his pants off and lay on the bed. He was ready to kiss her left shoulder when out of nowhere a SIG was found pressed on his cheek.

"Nice to see you too sweetcheeks." he said sarcastically with Ziva still having her gun pointed on Tony's head.

"Tony, why are you here?" Ziva questioned surprised lowering her gun.

"Couldn't live without you, I guess." Tony answered with a grin and Ziva rolled her eyes. "Ok Gibbs sent me. He took pity on me." he went on seriously and lay kissing her on the forehead.

"I missed you." Ziva blurted out and snuggled into his arms.

"Me too." he answered back and kissed her again on the forehead. "Are you still sleeping with guns?" he asked playing with her hair.

"Only when you are out of town on a mission or away from me at nights." she confessed and kissed his chest over his heart. "I haven't felt safe with anyone but you." she continued and raised her head to look at him in the eyes. "I love you."

"I love you." Tony said back and kissed the top of her head. "Laila tov, ahuvat."

"Buaonantte, amore mio." Ziva said back and closed eyes lying on Tony's chest.

* * *

"I can't believe that you are working the case at home!" Tony said in disbelief and sat on a chair on the kitchen table next to Ziva.

"Well, one weekend by myself I had to do something." she answered back reading Montgomery's file.

"Yes, but now you are not by yourself." Tony commented and took a bite of his breakfast. Ziva ignored him completely and kept reading the file. "Ziva did you open my present?"

"No." it was the only thing that Ziva answered.

"Why?" Tony asked. Ziva sighed and closed the folder placing it on the table before she looked at him.

"Because I want this to happen in the right way." she explained. "To be you the one who would give me the present. I know that I'm too romantic but-"

"I like it." Tony cut her. "I like that you are romantic." he repeated and looked at Ziva. "where is it?"

"First drawer on your nightstand." Ziva said and Tony made his way out of the kitchen. Ziva stood up and headed for the counter taking a glass of water while Tony came back.

"I've a present for you." Tony said with a grin and Ziva laughed. "Open it." he encouraged and Ziva unwrapped the box.

"Oh my-" she exclaimed when she opened the box. It was a golden heart shaped pendant with a red swan on it.

"Happy anniversary sweet cheeks." Tony exclaimed and gave her a chased kiss on the lips.

"Tony it's-" she couldn't find the words to describe the beauty of that particular jewelry. The only thing she had done was to admire it running her fingerprints over the engraved water bird.

"Do you know about the legend of the red swan? Tony questioned. "About its meaning?"

Ziva shook her head not taking her eyes from the jewelry, completely enchanted by it.

"Well," Tony cleared his throat. "Once, during the middle Ages, there was a Prince who fell in love very very much a simple country girl." he began the story and Ziva raised her head to look at him. "However, the country girl didn't believe him. As much as the Prince had tried to persuade her about his feelings the girl didn't believe him." he continued while Ziva had started to find the story intruding. "So the Prince decided to go and find a witch so she would help him. The witch made a copper swam, gave it to the Prince and told him to ooze some of his blood to a bucket, so he would sink the swan in it. If the swan became red and indelible, it meant that he really loved the girl. After that, the Prince had to give the swan to girl, so she would believe him, so she would believe that his love was indeed real. And she did believe him with the girl also falling in love with the Prince." Tony met Ziva's eyes. "Since then, the red swan's symbolizing the everlasting love." he smiled at Ziva and she smiled back. "Look at it from the other side." he urged and she obeyed.

'_Shecharchoret, libi kulo shelach (Dark-skinned girl my heart is all yours).'_ it was engraved in Hebrew and Ziva smiled on the lyrics of her favorite song.

"I really meant the words I had told you that night in the farmhouse, my love." he whispered into her ear and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind kissing her neck afterwards.

"It's beautiful." Ziva it was the only thing she could tell with admiration, not taking her eyes from the pendant. "Thank you Tony." she went on and turned the head over her shoulder to look at him.

"Don't. You deserve it. And much more." Tony reassured. Ziva turned into his arms, and looked at him with pure love.

"I love you Tony." she whispered and Tony took the jewelry box from Ziva's hands and placed it on the counter.

"I love you." Tony said back and with a quick move he lifted Ziva on the counter.

"Tony really?" she questioned in disbelief when Tony moved between her legs chuckling. "Come here!" she told with a smirk and grabbed Tony's collar placing a hard kiss on his lips.

* * *

"I think I found something." Tony said Ziva while he was reading Montgomery's file, sitting against the headboard of the bed. Ziva, whose head was lying on his thigh, reading Arden's file, raised her head to look at him.

"What?" she asked with confusion and sat up on the bed wrapping the sheets around her naked body. Tony took Arden's file and placed him next to Montgomery's open with Ziva settling close to him.

"Check these out." Tony pointed between the two folders.

"How did we miss that?" Ziva realized surprised.

"Bring Gartner's file." he asked and Ziva grabbed it from the floor. "See?" Tony pointed between the three folders.

"Well, at least we know how Montgomery is connected with our Lance Corporals." Ziva stated resting her head on Tony's shoulder.

"Yeah." we should call Gibbs." Tony said and started calling his Boss.

_"What is it DiNozzo?"_ Gibbs barked.

"Boss we found something." he talked to the phone while Ziva mouthed him that she was going for shower. She wrapped the sheets around her and headed for the bathroom. "Apparently Montgomery with Arden and Gartner were served together for two months on the same unit, but we don't know anything more."

_"The lead was dead end."_ Gibbs informed his SFA. _"the guy had an alibi for the day and the time of the murders. Unfortunately they aren't common homicides."_

"So we are staying on joint op with ATF." Tony stated sighing while he was hearing Ziva turning the water on.

_"DiNozzo I've already told you."_

"I know Boss it just-"

_"Don't think about it."_ Gibbs cut him bluntly.

Ziva stood on the doorframe of the bathroom with the sheets still wrapped around her and Tony looking at her from head to toe. He wanted her desperately; even if that day he had made love to her three times already. He wanted her, and Ziva couldn't refuse that to him. On the contrary, with her look, she was giving him the cue, the motive to have more and more of her like she couldn't get enough of him either.

"Look Boss, I have to hang up." Tony said on the phone not taking his eyes of Ziva "bye." he continued before hung up.

"Still on the phone?" Ziva asked keeping the sheets around her with her hands. "I was hoping to join me." she went on with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Gibbs said the lead was a dead end." he mumbled with open wide eyes trying to undress Ziva from the sheets. "And I do want to join you." he confessed quietly not taking his eyes from her.

"Good." it was the only thing that Ziva uttered biting her lower lip seductively making Tony's libido to increase more. "Because I've prepared the tub with hot water, your favorites bath salts." she cut herself. "And this." she completed unwrapping the sheets from her naked body, before she tossed them on Tony and so she would head into the bathroom. Tony placed his phone on the nightstand and got out from the bed. Pushing the door he saw her body covered with bubbles and vanilla soap wafting in the air. "Come." she urged him and Tony pulled his boxers off before he sank on the bathtub with her.

"My love." they were the only words he whispered and kissed her placing himself on top her.

* * *

They spent that Sunday like the day before. Like the most of the weekends when they were off duty, like the most of the days that they had day off. They spent that Sunday making love trying for one more time to make up for all those years. For those 11 years that they couldn't touch each other, that they couldn't kiss each other, that they couldn't love each other. Not openly at least. They spent it enjoying each other, touching each other, kissing each other and even when the darkness had covered the sky. With Tony keeping Ziva in his arms, and thinking the beautiful moments they had spent during the month they were on vacation. When they were in Greece, where they were walking all day on the beach keeping each other's hands until the night was coming and they were going into their room so they could make love. When they were in Israel and they were visiting her favorite places as a child. Like the house she was born and Haifa where she was playing with her siblings and her friends when she still was an innocent girl. Tony would have given everything to have this month back, to have the ability to live the rest of his life like that, without murders, without terrorists, without the fear of the revelation of his secret, without any concerns, just only he with Ziva, his soul mate in his arms. Caressing Ziva's scar on her left armpit with his eyes shut, he couldn't be more grateful that she pretended that nothing was happening, that she was letting him to be the one who would open first.

"Ziva I want to tell you something." Tony said determinedly and opened his eyes.

"What is it?" Ziva asked resting her head over Tony's heart and keeping her eyes shut.

"When you took the present from my drawer and told me if I wanted a present I had said no." he explained. "What if…What if I tell you that I have changed my mind?" he went on with hesitation.

Ziva opened her eyes and scrambled up into a sitting position to observe him. "Do you want a present?"

"Yes but I don't know if you want to give me that present." he answered.

"And why is that?" she questioned with a raising eyebrow.

"Because it will take you time to give it to me and I don't know if you want to for the time being." he explained.

"Tony what is it?" Ziva asked a little annoyed.

"I want a baby." Tony blurted out and Ziva's eyes widened. "I want a baby with you."

"Tony, are you-"

"Yes." Tony cut her. "yes I'm sure I want to. When you told me in the morning about Ellie and Jake and…and then I thought the Autopsy Gremlin with Breena and Victoria and I…" Tony trailed off. "I just want baby. We are getting married and I just-" but it was Ziva's turn to interrupt him.

"Are you ready for this Tony?" Ziva asked. "Because a child, a baby-"

"Are you ready for this Ziva?" he shot back asking his fiancée the same question. "because I don't think you are, hell no one future parent is and I want it Ziva I want it with you." he confessed placing a strand of a hair behind her ear. "I'm nearly 50 Ziva, and I want a little trouble maker, a little ninja, a little of you and me."

"Ok." it was Ziva's simple answer.

"Ok?" Tony asked in disbelief.

"Ok." Ziva repeated and looked at him in the eyes. "I don't want to take that from you Tony." she went on caressing his cheek. "I know you will be a great father." Tony blushed on Ziva's words. "So we go for it. I'm stopping the pills from now own."

"Really?' he asked with a boyish smile and Ziva nodded smiling. "So is that mean that we cam start trying from tonight?" he went on with a goofy grin. Ziva shrugged before she burst into laughing. "I suppose we can." Tony said and lay Ziva on the bed to kiss her. "I love you." he whispered after he broke kiss.

"I love you." Ziva said back and Tony smiled before he kissed her back for one more time.

* * *

'Ding!' the elevator announced its arrival and Ziva with Tony exited burst out laughing, keeping hands, while the most of the Agents had turned to look at them. For a strange reason that day the couple was the focus of attention in the whole Navyard. From the gate, the lobby and the center of the bullpen the Agents were murmuring looking at them strangely.

"Good morning!" both Ziva and Tony greeted in unison with a smile while the Agents greeted them back before they started murmuring again.

"What's wrong with them?" Tony asked annoyed as both he and his fiancée sat at their desks.

"What do you mean?" she questioned simply while she was turning her computer on.

"Didn't you notice?" he questioned in disbelief. "They are looking at us like each of us have grown a second head, not to mention that they are murmuring behind our backs." he went on angrily.

"It's normal. They know our wedding day is close and they just…they just find it weird." she stated before she opened the folders and started working.

"Weird? Weird?" Tony wondered in frustration and Ziva raised her head to look at him. "Why would be weird? We are not the first co-workers who are getting married for God's sake!" he replied on Ziva's comment and started typing furiously on his computer.

"We are different Tony." Ziva shot back and Tony raised his head to look at her. The Israeli stood up from the chair and approached Tony's desk. Leaning against its edge she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I mean, look at us. The impenitent playboy and the ruthless ex-Mossad Officer are getting married. Who of all those Agents would have thought of that?" she questioned running her fingers through his hair.

"All of them." Tony answered without hesitation. Ziva looked at him seriously. "All of them but us." he went on and stood up from his desk. "They knew it even before us that we were made for each other."

"We knew it." she argued. "We just didn't want to admit it we were too selfish for that too stubborn." she explained giving him a smile. "but I don't think they thought that we would go that far. A relationship, yes, but marriage I don't think so."

"I love you Ziva."

"I love you Tony." Ziva said back with a smile and Tony leaned forward to kiss her.

"Keep it out the office or I will head-slap you in the name of Gibbs." McGee commented entering the bullpen and dropped his backpack behind his desk.

"Good morning to you too, McInterruption." Tony replied and gave a quick kiss on his fiancée before she returned to her desk.

* * *

Keates was completely sure that this time all of them would be on the bullpen on time working on the case. She couldn't help the evil smile thinking what kind of reactions would see the moment they realized, especially Tony that she was the new ATF Agent who reassigned to their team. Stepping out from the elevator with a box on her hands, she headed for the bullpen while the eyes of many Agents were on her. She stood on the entrance of the squad room and watched Tony working. He was very handsome. He was more handsome even from the time they were together. The way he was focused on his work, the way he was keeping his pen, so he would keep his notes. Only the thought that those fingers had touched her, that they had caressed her skin, made her horny. So horny that she could have sworn that she had felt them on her body after she closed her eyes. She would have given everything to have that feeling again for real, to be with Tony again. Opening her eyes, she clenched her one hand into a fist when she saw Tony caressing Ziva's form on the picture with his fingerprints. He had never had pictures of hers on his desk, not even in his apartment. Why thiat woman, this Ziva was so special to him? What Ziva had that she didn't? That question tortured her all those days, from the moment she had seen that picture on Tony's desk, from the moment that woman had told her that she was his fiancée, from the moment she had heard them talk on the phone. Keates saw Tony turning his attention back to his work and that was when she approached his desk as quietly as she could.

"Hello Spider." Keates greeted and Tony stopped dead in his tracks.

'It's impossible.' Tony thought keeping his pen on his hand still from the shock and raised his head slowly wishing. Wishing and hoping that all of this was a hallucination. A hallucination that had been created because of the stress of the case, because of the fear that his secret would be revealed. But unfortunately for him it was nothing but the hard truth. Placing his pen on the desk he stood from his chair slowly. "Zoe, what in the hell are doing here?" he questioned with obvious anger but also with a sneaking fear. Because deep down he knew. He knew the reason she was here. The case, Ronald's reassignment back to ATF, the box on Zoe's hands 'This is not happening.' Tony thought 'Not this, not now.'

"Come on Spider don't you miss me?" Zoe asked with sarcasm and placed her box on a chair. "Are you not going to hug me? Are you not going to kiss me?" she went on with a seductive voice.

"GET. THE. HELL OUT OF HERE!" Tony said with emphasis and Zoe smiled devilishly.

"You know that this is not going to happen." she responded. "I was reassigned here for the case. You have stuck with me Spider, you like it or not. By the way," she went on with a mocking laugh. "I met your fianacé Siva."

"Ziva." Tony corrected through his teeth. "And keep her out of it." Zoe was ready to answer but she was cut off.

"Agent Keates." Ziva exclaimed happily after she entered the bullpen and both Tony and Zoe turned to look at her. "I suppose you have met my fiancé."

"Actually, no." Zoe replied lying. "We haven't introduced yet." she continued and turned her attention back to Tony. "Special Agent Keates, ATF." she pronounced extending her hand to Tony with a fake smile.

Tony couldn't believe what was happening. Zoe Keates was back to D.C., back to his life but most important on NCIS and his team, next to Ziva putting his happiness at risk. His nightmare had just become reality.

* * *

**Thank you for reading and PLEASE REVIEW so you would let me know what you think and encourage me to continue writing. And remember: You can always contact with me and express your opinion about my Author's Note through PM or my Twitter Account. ( AthenaKokkali), having as only request the reviews will be only for the storyline.**


	35. Chapter 35

**Author's Note**

**Hello readers. Sorry for not updating for three months. Work issues(which still exist), some health issues of my mother and of course Author's Block prevented me from writing but now I'm here with a new chapter.**

**Anyway, season 14 has started but I'm not going to watch it (something that I've done since 11x03) however, there was official announcement that Robert Wagner will return as Senior. In my opinion the writers won't bring him back for a good purpose. It will be about something that will upset TIVA fans I'm sure of it.**

**At the end, my condolences to the family of Gary Grasberg and the NCIS family for his sudden death. Let his soul rest in Peace.**

**If you really want to read amazing AU TIVA besides my friends Beatrixacs and BuryTheHatchet (whose stories of those two Authors' stories I'm reading all the time), you can try the "Last Call" by Dethwalker and "Break the Rules, Pay the Price" by MSquared79. Both stories are amazingly written.**

**Anyway back to the story.**

**Guest#1:**** Thank you for your review**

**Guest#2:**** Thank you for your review. You are not the only one who doesn't like Zoe and yes she will cause many troubles and big ones starting from the next chapter. As for Tony, he will try to keep things professional but patience has limits sometimes. Please stay tuned so you will see what happens.**

**Guest#3:**** Thank you for your kind words. There will be lots and lots angst trust me. As for how the rest of the team will handle Zoe's appearance, well, you will start seeing it from the current chapter.**

**Sue Dooley:**** Thank you for your review. Your questions will be answered soon.**

**Debbie:**** Tony will get full force of anger, and you will see by whom. As for the chick fight, there won't be any. Ziva is too classy than taking part on a fight over a man. She's educated enough to respond to Zoe with other ways. **

**Sherezade****: Thank you for your review. Every woman who is nevt to Tony , besides Ziva, is….disturbing. LOL. Well, expect from one. That adorable girl from 'Family First', named Tali. LOL LOL.**

**Specials thanks:**

**To Teresa:**** who is my personal consultant on this story.**

**And of course all of you that favorited reviewed followed even the one's who only read that story**

**Warning:**** This chapter isn't edited and corrected by Beta so forgive me for my grammar errors. Unfortunately English isn't my first language. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS and the characters.**

**This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces.**

**Athena**

* * *

_**Previously on Familiar Faces….*_

"_GET. THE. HELL OUT OF HERE!`" Tony said with emphasis and Zoe smiled devilishly. _

"_You know that this is not going to happen." she responded. "I was reassigned here for the case. You have stuck with me Spider, you like it or not. By the way," she went on with a stupid laugh. "I met your fiancée Siva."_

"_Ziva." Tony corrected_ _through his teeth. "And keep her out of it." Zoe was ready to answer but she was cut off._

"_Agent Keates." Ziva exclaimed happily after she entered the bullpen and both Tony and Zoe turned to look at her. "I suppose you have met my fiancé."_

"_Actually no." Zoe replied lying. "We haven't introduced yet." she continued and turned her attention back to Tony "Special Agent Keates, ATF." she pronounced extending her hand to Tony with a fake smile. Tony couldn't believe what was happening. Zoe Keates was back to D.C., back to his life but most important on NCIS and his team, next to Ziva putting his happiness at risk. His nightmare had just become reality._

_**And now let's continue**_

"Tony." Ziva said but Tony didn't react. He still couldn't believe what was happening, he still couldn't process the fact that Zoe was standing in front of him next to Ziva. Tony closed his eyes wishing from inside again that all of this was a nightmare. "Tony." Ziva repeated touching his arm. Tony jumped and opened his eyes from surprise. "Are you alright?" she asked with worry and rested her hand on Tony's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Tony lied to Ziva looking at her. Zoe was looking with pleasure Tony's shock and discomfort because of her presence. The man turned his attention to Zoe. "Agent DiNozzo, NCIS." he mumbled and gave his hand on her for a quick handshake before he sat on his chair and started working.

Ziva eyed with worry her fiancé, but it wasn't the place and time to discuss it. "Let me help you with this." she turned to Zoe and took the box from the chair completely oblivious of Tony's relation to that woman.

Zoe tried to refuse Ziva's help attempting to take the box back. "Thank you, but It's ok, I can-"

"No I insist." Ziva cut her and tried to make her way towards the empty desk next to Gibbs'.

"Ziva really I can do it by myself." the ATF Agent reassured.

"Please, it's my pleasure mmm what's your name?" Ziva questioned Zoe and Tony snapped his head in the women's direction.

That was it. The moment of truth had come. After, hearing the name from Zoe's mouth Ziva would put all the pieces together and would realize who the woman in front of her was. Zoe of course wouldn't let the chance drop, revealing everything to Ziva. The part that the team had on the development of his relationship with her, the details of it and of course the biggest mistake of his life, the stupidity her had done 1.5 year ago. The end of his relationship with Ziva had come. Tony looked with wide eyes at the two women waiting for the inevitable to happen.

"My name is-" Zoe started but Ziva's phone interrupted her for one more time like it had happened few days ago during their first meeting.

"Excuse me." Ziva said and placed the box back to the chair before she made her way toward her desk. Tony sighed of relief and Zoe turned to look at him.

"You were lucky for one more time, Spider." she whispered with a mischievous smile and Tony stood up from his chair with anger.

"You bit-"

"Tony." Ziva shouted grabbing her backpack and coat. "It was Abby. She wants me to try on some wedding dresses she picked for me." she went on approaching him.

"Ziva." Tony managed to say. He didn't want to be alone with Zoe. He knew that if he was alone with her she would irritate him with her behavior and that he would do something that might regret afterwards. "Don't go now." he begged. "You can do it some other time and-"

"I can't." Ziva informed him. "I had already postponed it on weekend even if I didn't know that you were coming back. And you know how Abby is. She will kill me if I do it again."

"But-" Tony tried to protest but the Israeli silenced him with her index finger.

"Don't worry." she reassured. "I'll be back on time. And McGee with Ellie will be back from Quantico in any minute. Besides," Ziva continued and turned her attention smiling at Zoe. "You can give a tour to Agent Keates in the Navy Yard as long as I'm at the stores." Tony turned and locked his eyes on Zoe's.

"I would love to." Zoe answered the satisfaction obvious on her face about Ziva's suggestion. Tony kept his eyes locked on Zoe's boiling from inside.

"Good." Ziva retorted with a smile before she returned to Tony. "I have to go. I love you." she murmured and placed a quick kiss on Tony's lips before she left.

"Bye." Zoe waved "If only she knew." she said as soon as Ziva stepped away. Tony approached Zoe with rage.

"Shut up Keates!"

"Keates?" Zoe questioned and leaned towards him. "You used to call me 'Zoe' or 'honey'. Keates?" she went on pretending the hurt.

Tony clenched his hand into a fist. He was so irritated by Zoe's behavior that he was ready to punch her. He had never slapped or hit a woman on his life. He was considering it as an unmanly action but that moment he wanted badly to see her lying on the floor in pain. His face had turned to red as his anger was running through his veins. One more challenge from her and he would lose his patience. Zoe stepped away and made her way towards Ziva's desk.

"What does she have that I don't?" she asked leaning against it.

"Many things." it was the only thing that Tony uttered.

"What?" the ATF Agent asked again. "Is the fact that she's prettier and younger?" she wondered. "Or is she better in bed?" she continued and touched the Israeli flag. Tony was ready to move dangerously towards Zoe.

"Agent DiNozzo!" Vance shouted leaning against the railing. Tony stopped and looked at the Director's direction. Vance beckoned him with his head to Tony to step back and the young Agent obeyed. "Agent Keates!" he shouted again, looking at her. "My office." he ordered and Zoe made her way to the stairs without losing the eye contact with Tony.

Tony returned at his desk and sat at it. Staring at Ziva's photo he caressed her form, for one more time. From the moment they had become a couple he promised to himself that he would never hurt her. Ziva was the most precious person in his life. He wouldn't let Keates and his past with that woman to shatter Ziva's heart into pieces. On the contrary, he was determined to protect her from all that mess with any cost.

"Tony!" McGee yelled as he was entering the bullpen along with Bishop and Tony raised his head to face them. Mentally exhausted from the events of the day with Zoe's appearance, McGee's and Bishop's words which described what they had found in Quantico were just buzz into his ears. Nothing and no-one were interested in him, just like it had happened those months when Ziva had declared dead in Somalia. He was looking at the blank wall with the only thought that Zoe was present on the bullpen, a nuclear bombshell ready to explode and destroy completely his future with the love of his life. He flinched as McGee's palm made a contact with the back of his head, causing a minimum result though, as he continued to look completely lost.

"Tony what's wrong with you?" McGee asked annoyed. "We have been telling you what we have discovered something huge and you-"

"She's back." Tony murmured with hurt interrupting the Junior Agent. "She's back." he repeated and buried his face on his hands.

"Who's back?" Ellie questioned concerned seeing her co-worker so mess. Tony raised his head ready to answer on his colleagues.

"Ellie, McGee!" Zoe shouted approaching the bullpen and both the NCIS Agents didn't believe in their eyes and ears. "Long time, no see." Both Ellie and McGee were staring at her in shock. "What? No fireworks for my return?" she mocked.

"What in the hell are doing here?" Ellie asked full of anger

Zoe rolled her eyes. "You are the third one who asks the same question after Tony and your Director, although the latter knew the answer already." she stated. "But to answer your question, I'm the new ATF Agent who has reassigned on your team." she explained and made her way towards the desk which was placed next to Gibbs'. Sitting on the chair, she crossed her legs before she continued. "So, what did you find?"

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" she asked.

"Ziva told me that you were in Quantico. You were there because of the case, right?"

"Ziva." McGee mumbled and both he and Ellie looked at Tony. Watching Tony how much fear and pain had in his eyes, they both understood that Ziva was clueless about who that woman was.

"So will you update me?" Zoe asked uncrossing her legs before she leaned her elbows against the desk. Both McGee and Bishop returned their attention to her.

"Not a chance!" Ellie declared sternly boiling with anger.

"Ellie we will be co-workers and-"

"Agent Bishop for you from now own." Ellie corrected her interrupting.

Zoe sighed and stood from the desk. "We were friends El...Agent Bishop." she replied and came around her desk so she could face the young woman.

"Exactly! WERE." Ellie emphasized throwing a death glare to the AFT Agent.

"Enough!" Tony shouted and stood up from his desk, unable to bare the tension on the room. All the Agents who were present turned and looked at the four Agents, especially Tony."Enough." he repeated barely than whisper. He had reached on his breaking point. Things were not supposed to end up like that. He was finally happy with the woman who really loved and now with Zoe's return everything was falling apart. Being desperate from the current situation, he grabbed his backpack and ran towards the elevator with Zoe trying to follow him.

"Don't even think about it." McGee warned her and she stopped.

Turning her head Zoe faced him. "You have no right to-"

"Oh yes I do." McGee cut her.

"You can't control me." Zoe snarled.

"No I can't but whatever you do, considering Tony and Ziva, you will underlie the consequences." he warned.

"From you?" the ATF Agent asked with irony.

"From Gibbs." McGee said back in a serious tone. "And trust me, it won't be pleasant at all." he went on and Ellie stood next to him crossing her arms in front of her chest, wanting to make McGee's words more persuasive. Zoe didn't answer but she rolled her eyes and went back at her desk to sit. McGee turned to Ellie and nodded as a 'thank you' for her support, before she sat at her desk too across Zoe's. Afterwards, McGee made his way quickly to the stairwell dialing on his phone. "Boss, it's me McGee. We have a huge problem."

* * *

Ziva was sitting with Abby on the lab talking about the wedding dress she picked with the scientist's help and of course, the last details of the wedding. Truth to be told, when they had started the wedding dress hunt, she was afraid about the choices that the Goth scientist could have in mind considering her taste on clothes. During those fifteen days that they were looking for it, they were occasions that some dresses were likeable to Ziva but Abby was putting veto all the time without second thoughts. However, Ziva had to admit that Abby's choices, which the scientist made by herself during the weekend, were amazing and to be honest the Israeli-American woman had difficulty to pick in the end. After a lot of thought and many changes on both girls' minds, they finally picked the dress and headed back to Navy Yard.

"So, Anemone Coronaria?" Abby asked. Ziva snapped her head in the scientist's direction, taking her attention from the wedding magazine that she was reading that moment. "Tony told me it's your favorite flowers and he wants the room to be decorated with those, along the Ziva flower. You know a combination of red and white. Do you agree?" she went on and Ziva just nodded. "Is something wrong Ziva?" the Goth scientist asked. "Are you having second thoughts about the wedding dress because if you do we can-"

"No." Ziva cut her. "Abby, did you notice any strange behavior lately?" she asked hesitantly.

"From whom?" Abby asked with a raising eyebrow.

"From the other Agents." the Israeli woman explained. "They were looking at me strangely, at the gate, in the lobby, in the elevator. And it was something that happened in the morning too but-"

"Ziva," Abby interrupted her and rested her palm on Ziva's knee smiling. "Don't worry. It's nothing. It is just with this flirt that all those years that you and Tony had, and then the fact that you had left and then you came back and now you are getting married with Tony, all of this," she started to explain. "is… was too much for them, too much for all of us."

"I know." Ziva said quietly. "I said the exact same thing to Tony but he overreacted that something was wrong." she explained relieved. "You know how Tony is." she smiled.

"Yeah, I know." Abby confirmed. "But it's nothing just…just the surprise of the people for your current status between you Tony."

Ziva only nodded and returned her attention back on wedding magazine. "Tony and I are trying to have a baby." she blurted out of nowhere few moments later. She wanted to get it out of her chest the decision she had taken the previous night with her fiancé, wanting to know her friend's opinion about that.

Abby's eyes widened. "Ziva are you trying to tell me-"

"No, Abby I'm not pregnant." Ziva declared sternly. "At least not yet." she clarified.

"So?" Abby asked.

"So what?" Ziva asked again. "Tony asked me we have a child. We are getting married and- Besides, that's the purpose of Life."

"Do you want children Ziva?" Abby asked seriously. "I mean now." she clarified. "Are you ready to become a parent?"

"No-one is ready to become a parent." the Israeli replied quoting Tony's words. "I always wanted children and with Tony more than ever."

"Ahhhhhh!" Abby screamed happily. "I'm gonna be an aunt, I'm gonna be an aunt!" she shouted and enveloped Ziva on a crushing hug.

"Ab…Abby I can't breathe." the Israeli woman breathed with difficulty. "Plus I repeat. I'm not pregnant yet."

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." the scientist said through tears of joy after she pulled away. "I'm just so…so happy." she went on smiling. Ziva hugged her again.

"I know, I know." it was the only thing that she managed to whisper on her friend before she was interrupted by her cell. "David." Ziva pronounced. "Yes, McGee? Day off, so suddenly? Why? Ok I'll come upstairs to find Tony and- What ? He has already left? When? Ok, ok bye and thanks McGee." she said and turned the phone off. "That's was McGee." Ziva informed Abby and grabbed her coat with her backpack. "Gibbs called and for a strange reason he gave us the rest of the day off. But what impresses me more is that Tony has already left without me, without telling me anything, without waiting for me." she wondered with hurt and stood up from her chair.

"Maybe he thought we were still for shopping." Abby assumed.

"Probably." Ziva answered shrugging. "I have to go. Goodbye." she waved and made her way towards the elevator. "By the way," Ziva turned to look at her friend. "Ronald was reassigned back to ATF and a new Agent has replaced him."

"Oh really?" Abby asked with surprise. "What's his name? Is he cute?" she smirking and took Bert into her arms.

"She's a woman Abby!" Ziva said laughing. "I don't know her first name yet. I only know her as Agent Keates. Anyway, I have to go bye." she went on and left without noticing the fact that Abby stood in her tracks.

"Oh, crap." the Goth scientist mumbled swallowing hard with fear. "Tell me that I heard wrong Bert…tell me that I heard wrong…"

* * *

He was boiling with anger. He was so frustrated after McGee's phone call that he didn't realize the whole ride from his house to the Navy Yard with his truck. Entering the lobby, the receptionist knew from the look on his face that it was one of those days that, 'Good afternoon' wasn't the word that the ex-Marine wanted to hear. Gibbs slammed with his fist the elevator button and waited impatiently for the metal box. When he understood that it wasn't going to arrive anytime soon, he started pressing the button again frustrated until the 'ding' announced its arrival. His blue icy eyes faced Abby and her eyes which were full of fear. She was afraid, like everyone; like he was that everything would reveal and fall apart at the same time. Tony, Ziva, his team, his family. He entered on the elevator without losing the eye contact with Abby and pressed the button of the third floor.

"Tell me that it isn't truth Gibbs." Abby said hugging the older man after the doors closed. "Tell me that it isn't truth."

"It will be alright Abs." Gibbs reassured. "Everything will be al right I'll make sure of it." he went on and kissed her temple before the elevator doors opened. Stepping out from the elevator, they headed for the bullpen.

"Where is she?" the ex-Marine shouted as he entered the bullpen along with Abby who was wiping the tears from her cheeks.

Both McGee and Bishop stood from their desks. "Ladies' room." McGee informed and Gibbs approached him.

"Ziver, DiNozzo?" he asked his eyes locked on his Agent's.

"Tony left few minutes before I called you, Boss." McGee explained. "As for Ziva…" he hesitated. "I…I called her and told her that you gave us the rest of the day off." he added. "Sorry Boss but I wanted to keep her away-"

"You did well McGee." Gibbs answered and put his hand on McGee's shoulder before he left and headed for the Ladies' room.

"What is he going to do?" Ellie questioned watching Gibbs leaving.

"He will have a little chat with Keates." McGee replied and sat back on his chair. "Abby," he continued. "Go back to your lab."

"But-" Abby tried to protest,

"Go back to your lab." he repeated. "If anything happens we will let you know." Abby just nodded and turned to her heels and back to elevator.

"Tim." Ellie started.

"Back to work Ellie, not now." McGee said back and opened a folder to start working. Ellie sat on her chair and did the same thing with McGee.

* * *

He was going to face her, after over a year. After what had happened he knew that this meeting wouldn't be pleasant for both of them, especially her. And he was going to make sure of it. Opening the door, Gibbs entered the Ladies' room furious.

"Agent Gibbs, this is the Ladies' room how you dare-"

"Don't say!" Gibbs cut her sarcastically.

"If you will excuse me." she responded and tried to open the door from the stall but Gibbs prevented her as he kept it close with his hand. Keates leaned against the door facing the older man.

"What in the hell are doing here, Keates?" the ex-Marine asked her full of anger.

"Don't you have anything more original to ask?" she questioned mocking. "Because everyone's asking the same question with the exact same words." she went on with the same irritating tone in her voice.

Gibbs leaned toward her face and hit his hand on the door next to Zoe's' head, making her flinch. "I told you to stay away from us." he said with gritted teeth and locking his eyes on hers. the ATF Agent could see his anger on them. So much anger that she hadn't ever seen, not even a year ago, despite the events that had happened back then.

"I'm here for the case because I'm a specialist on Illegal-"

"Be careful Keates." Gibbs warned her. "Be careful because if you have any thoughts of creating any problems between Tony and Ziva you will regret it for the rest of your life."

"Should I be scared, Agent Gibbs?" Zoe asked with an ironic smile.

Gibbs shook his head."No." he answered and leaned closer. "You should be terrified." he whispered into her ear and Zoe's smile faded. The ex-Marine stepped away, making his way towards the door "Stay away from them Keates." he repeated.

"What's really thing bothers you Agent Gibbs?" Zoe questioned and Gibbs was rooted in place. She crossed her arms in front of her chest before she continued. "The fact that they might break up because of me?" she asked and Gibbs turned to face her. "Or do you do afraid that Agent David will lose her respect on you? Because," she went on making few steps towards him. "I'm sure she will, when she finds out yours and the team's part on my relationship with Tony. When she finds out yours and the team's part on Tony's decision to-"

"What really bothers me Keates is that I gave my blessing for Tony's relationship with you." he snapped back. "That I was so blind, so selfish that I preferred to hurt two of my 'children'. They have been through enough because of me and I won't let anyone, ANYONE to do that again, including you got that?" he completed pointing his finger close to her face. Zoe didn't say anything and without second thought Gibbs turned and exited the Ladies' room.

* * *

He was completely lost in his thoughts, sitting on the floor in front of his fishbowl with Matty's head rested on his knee. All the events that had happened during 1.5 year ago from the moment he had seen Ziva standing on the bullpen until now two months before their wedding came as flashback on his mind. And now all those moments, all those memories were at stake. Because of his stupidity with Zoe, because he hadn't fought for Ziva all those years before she stayed in Israel, because he didn't have the courage to fight for them.

"I hope you and Abby were lucky this time." Tony said as he heard the door to open and Ziva entering the house.

"Yes, we were." she answered and knelt wrapping her arms around Tony's waist from behind. "I thought you would have waited for me." she went on and started planting kisses on Tony's neck.

"I couldn't wait for you, I was too tired." Tony explained as he caressing Matty's head with his palm.

"You could at least have called me to tell me that Gibbs had called and gave us the rest of day off, instead of finding it out from McGee." she stated with complaint.

Tony turned his head over his shoulder to look at Ziva. "Which phone call?" he questioned.

"Wait!" Ziva asked surprised and she moved in front of him so she could face him. "If you didn't know about the phone call why and how you decided to leave? Tony, what's wrong with you?"

Tony understood that he had made a huge stupidity. Probably McGee had made up with that the excuse to justify his leaving to Ziva, plus to keep her away from Zoe as much as he could. But why the Junior Agent didn't call him to notify him? To warn him? But then it downed on him.

'Damn!' Tony cursed himself mentally. He had forgotten his cell on his car.

"Tony I want you to tell me what's going on." Ziva demanded.

Tony opened and closed his mouth without uttering a word. Ziva was ready to say something but that was when Matty barked to her standing next to the door. Ziva stood and approached the dog so she could open the door for it. Closing the door behind her, after the dog exited the house, she went towards Tony and sat next to him, facing him. "I know that something is wrong." she continued the conversation for where it was interrupted. "And I know it is serious."

"It's nothing I'm just ti-"

"It's not that, Tony." she cut him. "You are sitting on the floor across your fish. You are always doing that when something is bugging you. Hell, I've even started doing it." she confessed. "Tony" Ziva called. "Are you having second thoughts about our wedding because if you do we can-"

"Marry me." Tony suggested looking Ziva in the eyes and the Israeli woman laughed before she answered.

"Of course I will, in two months."

"No." Tony uttered seriously. "Marry me tomorrow, tonight, now." he said desperate. "Let's go on a synagogue or a church right now and get married."

Ziva's face turned to serious. "Don't be ridiculous Tony." she stated annoyed and tried to stand up from the floor unsuccessfully.

Tony grabbed her from the wrist."I love you." he breathed and cupped her face. "I love you." he repeated and kissed her passionate like he had never done before until that night.

Because he needed her. He needed her so much, so desperate. Taking their clothes frantically off each other, he took her over there on the floor of the living room, for one more time. He took her so intense, like he wanted to prove her how much he loved her, how much he wanted her. He took her so intense, so he could persuade himself that everything would be ok, that Zoe would not ruin his relationship with Ziva, and he would manage to expel that woman like a demon. Tony tightened his grip on Ziva's wrists over her head, so he could have better access to her, to kiss her, to taste her, to make love to her. He wanted her, he wanted her and he was determined to take as much as he could from her. His hold on Ziva was so tight that her wrists turned to red as the blood flow had stopped. Tony was repeating to her over and over again how much he loved her, how much he wanted her, before he started kissing her hard so he could silence her screams. Because Ziva loved it. She loved the fact that he finally made the decision to give her for once what she really wanted. What she had asked for from the beginning of their relationship and had it only when she was in charge during the intercourse: rough and out of limits sex. However, as much as force Tony had shown over her, she could still feel the tenderness, the pure love, the care he had for her.

"Tony." she whispered breathing and opened her eyes locking them on his.

"I love you." Tony murmured before he stroke into her for one last time and collapsed on top her. Kissing her lightly on the lips he lay next to her still huffing and took her hand on his. "Oh my God Ziva!" I'm so sorry." he said with hurt watching the marks on Ziva's wrist.

"It's ok." she tried to reassure him.

"No, it's not. Look what I have done to you." he said with terror. "What have I done to you?" he went on and sat up on the floor burying his face on his hands from shame.

"Hey, look at me." Ziva said sitting up next to Tony and he turned to look at her. "I don't know what was the reason for that outburst, but I'm glad you had it. I'm glad that you got it out of your chest, especially with this way." she went on blushing.

"Really?" he asked in disbelief and Ziva smiled slyly. "I will never do that again." he said with confidence. "Not like this" he pointed and kissed her marks wrists. Grabbing her quickly, he made her rest her head on his chest, after he lay down. "I love you, don't you ever, ever forget that."

"I will never forget that, Tony. Never."

* * *

**Thank you for reading and PLEASE REVIEW so you would let me know what you think and encourage me to continue writing. And remember: You can always contact with me and express your opinion about my Author's Note through PM or my Twitter Account. ( AthenaKokkali), having as only request the reviews will be only for the storyline.**


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